


Kia Ora

by EvesMagick



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Plague, Science Fiction, Vampires But Not the Supernatural Creatures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-12-28
Packaged: 2018-04-08 06:41:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 65,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4294599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvesMagick/pseuds/EvesMagick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world corroded by disease, Kuroko makes a dangerous deal with Akashi.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Thin Line Between Nobility and Stupidity

Kuroko first met them on a street between his apartment and the Teiko Hospital. The strip of cracked asphalt boasted no open stores or streetlamps, but this did not stand out during this time. Even the busiest streets of Japan offered little in the way of economy and safety, and the citizens learned to accept this early in the crisis.

Kuroko had walked this particular path many times in the past year, but he had never made the trip so late before. He stepped over pools of moonlight on the sidewalk even as he kept a sharp eye on where the shadows seemed particularly dark. He knew the dangers of staying out so late, but he had not had a choice in the matter.

His phone rang, and Kuroko sighed. Despite his legitimate reasons Kagami would not be happy.

“Hello,” Kuroko answered.

“Where the hell are you? This is my third time calling you! I was about to come looking for you if you didn’t answer this time!”

Kuroko held the phone back from his ear until Kagami apparently paused for breath. “I apologize for the trouble. I passed out, and I did not wake for two hours. I would have been on time otherwise,” he explained.

Predictably, another onslaught assaulted Kuroko’s ears. “You passed out? Did they give you your blood back? You idiot, I told you that you were pushing it!”

“Kagami-kun, I am almost home. We can discuss this matter then,” Kuroko suggested.

Kagami breathed a shaky sigh. “Just get your ass here,” he relented.

Kuroko hung up the phone and slid the device back into his pocket. He pulled his jacket tighter around him as he picked up his pace. It was summer, and even the nights tended to be balmy, but Kuroko could never shake the chill that settled into his bones. Just another symptom.

Kuroko had given blood eleven times in ten months, and while this would be dangerous for any human during any time, the action was practically suicidal for someone like Kuroko. Anyone in Japan really. Ever since the plague struck Japan, blood became a treasure far more valuable than oil or gold.

The scientists dubbed the disease ABO for the way it attacked blood cells and turned them against the body. The only known treatment was repeated blood transfusions, but as doctors soon discovered, this supposed solution was a double-edged sword. The cases in Japan suddenly doubled, for as a person donated more of their blood, they became more susceptible to the disease. Donations dwindled to nothing almost overnight, and those who already suffered saw their hope extinguish before their eyes.

Only a few like Kuroko continued to give blood despite the risks, but as Kagami constantly pointed out, Kuroko would lessen that number even more if he kept pushing himself past his limits.

Kuroko normally brushed off his concerns with a distracting comment, but he could see Kagami’s wisdom now. He always felt dizzy and weak after giving blood, but actually fainting today shocked him. He woke up so disoriented that the nurse at the hospital had to explain what happened three times to him. As he ate the complimentary granola bar and drank his water, Kuroko realized that he really would have to cut down on his donations if he planned to continue giving them.

He shuddered at the idea of telling this to Kagami. He would be impossible to live with afterward.

As Kuroko mentally formulated how he would present all this to Kagami, another issue tugged at the corner of his mind. He did not immediately realize the notion was there, but when the unnatural quiet seeped into his skin and the shadows turned even darker, the thought grew bigger until Kuroko could no longer deny it.

Someone was following him.

Rather than freeze or break into a run, Kuroko continued as if he remained blissfully unaware. He took the time to scan his surroundings: the shattered windows of an abandoned department store, the chained door of what used to be a pharmacy, and the threatening dark mouths of alleyways. Everything posed a threat when the night rendered the city a monochromatic print of vague lines.

Only about four blocks stood between Kuroko and his apartment with Kagami, but his body, already weakened by the blood he just gave, could not stand up to a chase.

As much as Kuroko did not want to, especially when he already planned to give Kagami an ego boost with his decision to cut back on blood donations, he would have to call for help. Kuroko knew of the muggings that increased rapidly in Japan these days. Poverty became as much of a plague as the ABO, and even good people had little choice but to turn to crime.

Kuroko pulled out his cell phone again, but he kept the device close to his side, and he subtly unlocked the screen and double-clicked the home button to reach his most recently used app. He just barely touched the window for calls when a blunt force knocked him forward.

“Grab his phone. End the call,” a voice hissed from above him.

A hand ripped his cell phone from his fingers, and though he could only see asphalt from this angle, he knew any hope of rescue from Kagami ended with the touch of a button.

Kuroko tried to struggle, but a weight pressed down on his back, and he might as well have been paralyzed. He expected to feel flitting fingers searching for his wallet then, but instead, someone took his arm and stretched it out across the pavement.

An entirely different kind of fear hit Kuroko then as cold certainty crashed down on him.

These were not ordinary thugs. They were Vampires.

Kuroko always thought the nickname immature, but even he could see the relevance of the coined term. Once people started refusing to give blood out of fear of the risk, instances of muggings took a strange turn. Police found victims alive on the street, but rather than missing their money, they only possessed a bandage around their arms and symptoms such as dizziness and weakness.

The Vampires, vigilantes who stole people’s blood in secret, became quite the controversial topic. Some praised their work, for they typically gave the blood to hospitals through anonymous donations, and those already infected gained a hope of survival. However, many others feared the rebels because even if they did not hurt their victims at the time, they exponentially increased their risk of catching ill and dying later.

Kuroko never knew quite how to feel about them, but he understood one thing now. If they stole his blood after he just donated, he would die.

“Please,” he gasped. “I just gave blood. Please.”

He heard a snort from above his head, and any hope Kuroko possessed died. “You think we haven’t heard that one before, kid? Shut up and think of the lives you’ll be saving.”

Kuroko briefly thought about relaxing and letting them take his blood. He already lost his family and his home. If he sacrificed himself for another, would that not be the noblest thing of all?

Then he thought of Kagami who probably kept a plate of dinner warm for Kuroko and how he likely checked the window every few minutes for signs of his return. They only had each other, and Kuroko could not be selfish enough to leave him alone.

“Please, you can check with the hospital. I give regularly, and I already gave today,” Kuroko begged the ground.

“Hey, maybe we should check. If he’s telling the truth, he’s so small that we might kill him,” someone fretted at his arm.

“Don’t be an idiot. Here, you hold him down, and I’ll stick him if you’re too soft-hearted to manage.”

“Eh? I thought you said I wouldn’t have to do anything today if I took care of that guy yesterday,” a third voice whined.

“Change of plans. Your day off is tomorrow.”

The weight on Kuroko’s back lifted only to be replaced by one three times heavier. The hands on his arm remained firm even though the attached voice seemed to hesitate. Now he felt the familiar prick of a needle at his vein, and Kuroko regretted removing his bandage only moments before leaving the hospital. He liked to keep evidence of his recklessness away from Kagami’s eyes, but if he had kept the cloth taped to his arm, then he would have proof of his claims.

Kuroko barely felt the pain of the tool piercing his arm, but he immediately knew when the Vampire began to pull. Already light-headed and weak, the symptoms crashed down on his body far faster than normal, and Kuroko barely muffled a quiet whimper.

“He doesn’t look so good, Aominecchi.”

“Shut up, idiot! We’re not supposed to use names.”

“I don’t think we have to worry about that. He’s already passing out.”

Kuroko started to protest such an absurd claim, but then he found that he did not have the energy to open his mouth. Suddenly, the individual pieces of asphalt in his line of sight began to blur in a swirl of gray and black. He could not tell if he had his eyes closed or open, and even the voices around his head lost their sense of reality. He teetered on the edge for just a moment before Kuroko fell, fell, fell into a scratchy, dry oblivion.

... 

“Shit! I can’t believe we actually did it!” Aomine’s smile made him look ten years younger as he surveyed the test results in his hands. While his line of work jaded him early, Kise thought he could almost see what he used to be during moments like this.

Of course, this moment was worthy of celebration. They had been searching for this blood type for months, and now they finally found someone who possessed AB negative.

“I can’t believe you let him go. Akashi will be furious once he realizes you had this person in your grasp and then let him slip away,” Midorima scolded. The young doctor always looked severe and unmovable, but the impression intensified whenever he wore his lab coat.

“Don’t worry,” Kise placated him. “He was in bad shape, so he’ll be checking into the hospital soon. Just search the records for AB negative. No one else but him will have it.”

“Are you certain he will check into the hospital?” Midorima demanded.

Aomine rubbed the back of his head, and Kise took some satisfaction in the reluctant guilt blooming across his dark features. “Yeah, Kise, he looked pretty rough. He may not make it to a hospital.”

“Mine-chin, you said he would be fine,” Murasakibara complained through a mouthful of chips.

“He probably will be, but I just don’t know, okay?” Aomine snapped.

Kise surveyed them for a moment as Aomine simmered in his regret and Murasakibara pouted. Whether the tallest of them sulked due to Aomine yelling at him or the boy’s grim fate, Kise did not know, but he shoveled in his snack even faster. Midorima surveyed the whole display with distaste, and Kise imagined that he wished Akashi was here to take control, so Midorima could return to his lab.

Finally, Kise revealed, “He’ll be okay. I used his phone to send his location to his… friend, I guess. He didn’t have any contacts under ‘Mom’ or ‘Dad,’ but he called this one name, Kagami, a lot, so I assume that’s the guy to call now. If all goes well, his friend should help him get medical assistance and everything.”

Three pairs of eyes stared at him with shock, and Kise felt quite offended. “Hey, I can be smart, too, you know!” he said.

“Perhaps, but it’s still a shock every time,” Midorima grunted.

 ...

When Kuroko woke, he first wondered if he would be able to see his parents. He was not entirely certain on what he believed about the afterlife, but surely this world would not be so cruel to separate loved ones forever.

Then he heard the quiet beeps of machines, and he recognized the white sheets that covered him up to his waist, and he realized that someone had saved him after all.

He found himself in a hospital room, and though he visited the hospital quite often, he never made it to an actual room. There was a special wing for taking blood that resembled an assembly line more than a healthcare facility. Kuroko filled out his paperwork, took an unoccupied chair, and closed his eyes while the nurse pulled a single unit and then passed him along.

Kuroko decided he preferred such efficiency, for the floral wallpaper and mounted television set nauseated him. He glanced at the IV on his wrist and then began searching the buttons on his bed and the cords attached to his body for the device that called for a nurse.

“You are an absolute idiot.”

“…Kagami-kun.”

Just as one part of Kuroko’s brain wondered ‘How?,’ another part thought ‘Of course.’ Only Kagami managed to have his back no matter what.

The tall man left the doorway of what Kuroko assumed was a bathroom. He sat down in a chair next to Kuroko’s bed, and by the way he instantly adapted to a position that gave him optimum view of Kuroko’s condition, he knew Kagami had been here with him for a long time.

“Thank you, Kagami-kun,” Kuroko murmured.

“You’re an idiot,” Kagami repeated. “But I’m glad you’re all right. You worried me there for a minute.”

Though he tried to hide it with a brave face and a gruff voice, Kuroko could see that he was still worrying Kagami. He imagined how he would feel if he found Kagami’s unconscious body in the middle of a deserted street, and even the theoretical pain almost overwhelmed him. He owed his friend quite a bit.

“I won’t donate again for a very long time,” Kuroko promised.

“You sure as hell won’t,” Kagami agreed. “It’s bad enough that you passed out once right afterward. If you were feeling dizzy on the phone, you should have just said you needed me to come get you. The only thing keeping me from pounding you into that bed is that you actually had the foresight to text me where you were.”

Kuroko got a strange feeling from Kagami’s rant from the beginning. The events lined up, but then again, they did not. But Kagami’s last words sealed it for him.

“I did not text you… Wait, do you think I passed out because I donated too many times to the hospital?” Kuroko inquired.

Kagami raised his oddly-shaped eyebrows. “Didn’t you?” he questioned.

Kuroko slowly shook his head. “No, I was attacked… by Vampires. They took blood after I donated, so two lost units in one day made me faint again. I wonder if… I wonder if one of them texted you.” Kuroko thought back to the harsh voice who ordered to end the call that Kuroko never actually made. He begged them to release him, yet they continued to take his blood. Would those same people contact Kagami to make sure he received help?

“Shit, Kuroko, no wonder they had to give you all those fluids,” Kagami hissed. “I’m going to kill them.”

“Fluids?” Kuroko questioned. He had assumed that he just reached the hospital, but one glance at the single window revealed the sun shining brightly over an active city.

“As soon as I brought you here, they gave you a lot of fluids. You slept through the night and most of today. It’s about one now,” Kagami told him before punching him in the arms. Kuroko cradled the offended muscle, but he knew Kagami held back considerably. “Don’t worry me like that again.”

“I don’t plan on it,” Kuroko replied absently.

The three voices from last night filtered through his thoughts, and strangely, he wondered where they were. Did they give his blood to this very hospital? Would they roam the night streets again for more victims? They had possessed his blood to save humanity, and Kuroko supposed every action they made was essentially to save lives. Did that make them pirates or Robin Hood-like heroes?

“Hey, are you hungry? I can get you something from the cafeteria,” Kagami offered.

Kuroko felt nauseous and weak but not hungry. Still, he knew that Kagami would not have left this room and its add-on bathroom until he knew Kuroko was safe. Kagami tended to eat like a starving man at the best of times, and he probably skipped meals to stay at Kuroko’s side. Even now, Kuroko doubted that Kagami would go down to the cafeteria just for himself.

“A little bit. Would you mind?” Kuroko asked.

“Of course not. They might even have milkshakes,” Kagami said.

“Maybe,” Kuroko agreed.

Kagami watched Kuroko a moment longer before he finally left the room. He really must have worried his friend to have him pay such close attention to him.

Then again, as Kuroko considered last night’s events, he understood why. He knew enough about the science behind blood donations to realize how close he came to an untimely death. An adult human possessed only four pints of blood in his or her body at any time, and if he gave one unit to the hospital and one unit to the Vampires, Kuroko reduced his blood count by half.

Kuroko leaned back against the thin pillow and closed his eyes. He felt weak now even after the sleep and nutrients. He just hoped he could hide that from Kagami to keep him from worrying even more.

“Kuroko?”

His eyes flew open, but Kuroko did not quite manage to sit up straight. Instead, he surveyed the visitor standing in his doorway from the slightly inclined position of the bed. As said visitor seemed to be a doctor judging from his lab coat and stern expression, Kuroko thought he would understand.

The doctor stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. He carried a clipboard with him, and he glanced down at its information, perhaps to make sure that the small boy in front of him was the one indicated by the paperwork. He pushed up his glasses before he addressed Kuroko again.

“You are Kuroko Tetsuya?”

“Yes.”

“I have here that you donated blood yesterday and then returned when you fainted on the way home,” he said, and Kuroko was unsure if he meant the statement as a question or not. Kuroko wondered if he should correct his assumption with the detail of the Vampires, but he decided he did not have the energy to go down that line of conversation. Instead, Kuroko nodded.

“I also see that you have donated blood several times in the past month. An unhealthy amount actually.”

The hospital never minded his suicidal amount of donations before, but the doctor narrowed his eyes in a scolding manner. As Kuroko looked closer, he noticed the crisp way he kept his green hair cut and the precise wrappings around the fingers of his right hand. He must take his job very seriously.

“I suppose,” Kuroko granted.

“Your blood type is AB negative,” he added.

“You seem to have all my information already,” Kuroko said.

The doctor lowered his clipboard, and Kuroko briefly wondered if he should not have gotten on the bad side of the person who ordered his medicines.

“I wanted to make sure that I have the right person before I request a room transfer,” the doctor explained, annoyance clear in his tone. “You will need an extended stay due to your persistent malnutrition and weakness, but patients without health insurance must go to a different part of the hospital.”

“I see,” Kuroko said. He should have thought about his and Kagami’s lack of insurance. They already struggled to live month to month between the part-time jobs they managed, and they could not truly afford a trip to the hospital. “I am sure that I will be fine, so you can release me now and save us all the trouble.”

The doctor’s eyes widened, and he gripped his clipboard tighter. “I am afraid that is unacceptable. As a healthcare professional, I cannot let someone under my responsibility leave in your condition.”

Kuroko sighed. Clearly, this man did not understand bending the rules or even testing them for compliance. “When must I move?”

“Immediately,” the doctor responded. “I will have a couple of orderlies wheel your bed to the new room right now.”

“Oh, could we wait a moment? I have a friend who is at the cafeteria now, and he would like to know where I went,” Kuroko said.

The doctor strode across the room and surveyed the monitor beside Kuroko’s bed. Despite his many trips to the hospital Kuroko had little experience with such machines, and he had no idea what each blinking light or colored number meant. However, the doctor seemed to read them as easily as his clipboard, and he fiddled with a couple of buttons.

“Please, can we wait on my friend?” Kuroko repeated.

“We will inform him of your move as soon as he returns,” the doctor assured him.

Kuroko did not like the way that the doctor avoided his eyes while delivering this piece of information, and he tried to sit up in the bed to tell him so. However, his arms did not seem to want to brace his weight, and even if they had, the anger that bubbled up in his stomach suddenly dissipated. He barely remembered why he felt so urgent a moment ago.

If the doctor told him that Kagami would know where he went, then why should Kuroko worry? He might as well close his eyes and go to sleep in the meantime.

After all, he felt so warm and comfortable. Kagami would understand, and besides, Kagami would find him. Kagami always found him.

Kuroko rested his head against the pillow and did not give the whole matter another thought.

 ...

Midorima poked his head out of the room and gestured for Aomine and Kise to come inside. While Kise practically leapt to follow orders, Aomine strolled lazily after him. Sure, this assignment was the most interesting thing he had done in a while, but that didn’t mean he had to pick up his pace faster than a walk.

Of course, the assignment got a bit more interesting once he made it to the kid’s bedside.

“What the hell, Midorima? I thought you said he woke up,” Aomine griped.

“He did,” Midorima snapped. “He was a bit more inquisitive about his room change than I anticipated, and he kept insisting on informing his friend. I increased his morphine drip to make him pass out again.”

“He’s been through a lot already,” Kise mourned, staring doe-eyed at the kid’s sleeping face. Aomine had to admit that he looked a bit like an angel in his sleep. His pale expression smoothed out to relaxation, and his light blue hair framed his face nicely. Still, no reason on this earth justified the sappy eyes that Kise was giving him.

Aomine slapped him on the back of the head to tell him. “Come on, let’s just roll him down to the north wing.”

Kise pouted as he rubbed his sore spot, and Midorima huffed irritably. Nevertheless, none of them wanted to incite Akashi’s wrath, and their leader had not been so involved in their project for a long time.

He and Kise each took one side of the bed, and they rolled the boy and contraption both out of the room. Once they passed the doorway, Aomine hesitated, and Kise had no choice but to stop as well.

“Hey, Midorima, what do you plan to tell his friend?” Aomine asked, eyes only half-lidded as he posed the question.

Midorima clutched his clipboard with enough force to break it as he averted his eyes to the now deadened monitor. “What Akashi told me to say,” Midorima hissed.

“He died under our care, and there was nothing we could do to save him.”

... 

When Kise and Aomine moved Kuroko’s bed to his new room, one designed for permanent stays rather than extended ones, a pair of eyes watched them. He noted the couch and reclining chair that also furnished room. There may not have been a window, but there was a bathroom, a bedside table, and a television set.

And if the boy desired anything more, he planned to provide it.

Yes, Akashi would give this Kuroko Tetsuya anything he ever wanted as long as he surrendered his freedom to him. After all, Tetsuya had the potential to give Akashi everything he desired.


	2. A Shaky Deal Between Jailer and Prisoner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroko finally meets his kidnapper (sort of).

A sense of panic ejected Kuroko from his sleep, and he shot up in his bed only to discover that he could not. Rather, a sharp pain jolted through his wrists as he realized that Velcro straps kept his arms tied to the frame of the bed, and that piece of evidence cemented his fears as much as anything else.

Someone had lied to him. Something had gone very wrong.

One glance to his surroundings told him that he had indeed moved from his first room, but he no longer trusted the word of the doctor with glasses. As he thought back on their exchange, he knew that he had not suddenly slipped into sleep. The doctor must have done something when he fiddled with his monitor, and if he felt the need to ensure Kuroko’s unconsciousness, then that brought one major question to his mind.

Where was Kagami?

Kuroko had no family left, and he obviously cared little for his own life. He offered his blood almost every month in some desperate attempt to either save someone else or doom himself. However, Kagami treated Kuroko like a brother and a friend, and Kuroko felt the same way about him.

If any harm had come to him for any reason, Kuroko would make sure there was hell to pay. He did not understand why anyone, particularly someone from the Teiko Hospital, would want to hurt Kagami, but Kuroko also didn’t understand anything else about this situation either.

Kuroko forced himself to take a deep breath, and his initial panic slowed into rational thought once again. He made a point to keep his emotions under control, and he inwardly scolded himself for slipping, possibly medically-induced or not. He had no evidence that something bad had happened to Kagami, and even if it had, he needed to focus on gathering information and finding a solution.

He started by taking in the details of his new room.

His bed, arm restraints and all, took up the center, and a door that likely lead to a bathroom was on his left. To his right he noticed a couch against the far wall and a reclining chair close to his bed with optimum position for conversation. A small table with a bottle of water and a book waited on his other side. A new monitor beeped just out of his range of sight behind him, and a mounted television set peered at him from the front.

The whole room spoke of luxury of which Kuroko was no longer accustomed. Or anyone else for that matter. Even the richest families lost most of their wealth after the crisis, and only a rare few still carried out comfortable lifestyles.

People like Kuroko and Kagami who managed only average at the start did not have a chance.

Kuroko struggled to find some possible explanation for this, but as he thought of the young doctor’s words again, he only found himself more confused. He lost a lot of blood, but that did not really render an extended stay. Besides this room seemed more… permanent.

When the door opened, and not the one to the bathroom, Kuroko waited for his visitor with an even expression and cool eyes. He tried to appear collected even with the straps holding his wrists immobile.

A man only a few inches taller than his own limited height strolled into the room and shut the door behind him. His vibrant red hair possessed a surprising amount of casual shagginess for someone in a business suit, but when he turned his sharp eyes, one crimson and the other golden, on Kuroko, he knew without a doubt that this was someone who commanded and dominated.

Then the stranger smiled, and Kuroko felt like he needed to reevaluate his assumptions all over again.

“Hello, Kuroko Tetsuya. I can honestly say that it is a pleasure to meet you,” he greeted, his voice soft and alluring.

Kuroko’s voice cracked when he attempted to reply, but he cleared his throat and tried again. “Hello. I believe I need more information before I return the sentiment.”

His chuckle, light yet somehow heavy as well, surprised Kuroko again, but he was beginning to learn that his previous guidelines of studying people may not apply here. The man gracefully took a seat in the reclining chair, but he still managed to appear as the epitome of poise rather than slump in the soft cushions.

“What a wise answer. My name is Akashi Seijuro, and I am the son of the owner of this hospital. Currently, I am only head of the research department, but someday, I will take over as the new owner,” he said.

Kuroko tried not to physically react to this information, but judging by the other’s small smirk, he must have shown some of his surprise. “I commend you on your hard work, but what do you want with me? I assume you have had some hand in bringing me here,” Kuroko said.

“Yes, Shintarou, the doctor you met, acted on my orders. I believe you and I can help each other, and after finding the one person I have been seeking, I could hardly let you go, now could I?”

An odd gleam entered Akashi’s left eye, and Kuroko shifted uncomfortably in his bed. The movement only reminded him of his vulnerable situation when the bindings pulled at his wrists, and it occurred to Kuroko just how little he could do in this position.

“You do not know me,” Kuroko murmured.

“Yes, I suppose you are correct in that,” Akashi admitted. “But I know the important things. You have no living family, no health insurance, and no full-time job.”

“What are you implying?” Though Kuroko asked, he understood perfectly what Akashi spoke between his actual sentences. If Kuroko disappeared, no one would know. Except Kagami.

Akashi continued as if Kuroko never interrupted. “And you have blood type AB negative.”

Kuroko blinked twice and tilted his head to the side. Somehow, the last part did not end where Kuroko thought this conversation was going, and he still had no idea where he stood in this situation. As fearful as Kuroko felt before, now annoyance dominated in his emotions.

“Please get to the point, Akashi-kun.”

Akashi raised an eyebrow at his impertinence. Kuroko supposed few people did more than cower before one of the most powerful men left in Japan, but Kuroko only wanted Akashi to finish talking, so he knew what questions to ask.

Finally, Akashi conceded, “I am not sure if you are aware, but AB negative is the rarest blood type of all. This used to not matter. Type O positive, the universal donor, provided a good standby any time a donation was needed, but the strain known as ABO has altered the game in that respect. It changes the nature of the blood cells, so they only accept blood of their own type. Among other things.”

Kuroko’s eyes widened. The public knew nothing of this. He had noticed that those at the hospital always encouraged his donations even when they endangered his health, but Kuroko never realized they might have done so because he possessed some rare form of blood.

“As you can probably guess, this means that if someone with type AB negative falls ill, that person has almost no chance of survival whatsoever,” Akashi continued. “Which makes your blood all the more valuable.”

“If you are trying to encourage me to donate, there’s no need. I give blood regularly, so the hospital is already receiving all I can offer,” Kuroko said.

Akashi chuckled, and Kuroko marveled at how such an innocent sound seemed dark when it came from his mouth. “Yes, I am aware of your donation history. You are quite reckless, I might add.”

Kuroko averted his eyes as he thought of Kagami. His cheeks burned.

“However, that is not my intention. Rather, I am asking for your consent to move into this room and allow Shintarou to take your blood every few days. He will return your platelets and give you fluids as well as take other preventive measures to ensure your continued health. I promise you now that your life will never be in danger as long as you are here,” Akashi vowed.

His stare appeared all the more intense as he focused his eyes on Kuroko, and the smaller felt pinned and dissected.

“If I refuse…” Kuroko swallowed and forced himself to continue, “Will you keep me here anyway?”

For the first time since he entered the room, Akashi mulled over his words for a moment. Apparently Kuroko had varied from the script that Akashi had prepared beforehand.

“Do you plan to refuse?” Akashi questioned.

“I do not know,” Kuroko replied honestly. “Your offer is highly unusual, and I still feel concern for your ethics. Where is my friend, Kagami Taiga?”

Kuroko expected Akashi to show some confusion, but rather, Akashi smiled as if Kuroko had brought them back to the script after all.

“Ah, yes. This brings us to how you would benefit in our arrangement,” he said. “You and your friend live together alone, do you not?”

Kuroko nodded, almost paralyzed with the anxiety that suddenly showed itself again.

“Times must be difficult for two in their early-twenties to manage a living when they can only find temporary part-time jobs. And with no health insurance, if one of you fell ill, there would be almost nothing the other could do, correct?” Akashi mused.

“Yes,” Kuroko muttered.

“If you agree to move here, I will make sure that Kagami Taiga receives a full-time job offer within a week. Also, if either one of you contracts ABO at any time in your lives, I will pay for full treatment. Of course I have already promised that you will never suffer as long as you are here.”

“Why?” Kuroko breathed. “Why would you do all this? If your family owns the hospital, surely you can acquire any kind of blood you want at any time, so why are you making all this effort for mine?”

Kuroko supposed he lost his composure, but the intensity and each step that Akashi had clearly already determined terrified him. He felt like a pawn on a shogi board that he could not fully see, and if he did not even slightly understand what drove this man to such extremes, there was no way he could agree to anything.

Akashi tensed at the questions, but unlike Kuroko, he kept his face as smooth as polished stone. “I suppose I should have explained that from the beginning. I have someone who is very dear to me who has AB negative blood. She has the disease, and the only way to save her is regular transfusions of type AB negative blood.”

“I still do not understand. If your family owns the hospital, shouldn’t you have plenty of blood for your loved one?” Kuroko inquired.

The glint of light returned to his eye, and Kuroko struggled to keep a calm façade. Though Akashi presented sophistication to an art during most of their conversation, he occasionally possessed the same wild fervor of the criminals Kuroko saw on the streets.

“My father does not believe it ethical to exploit our resources for our own gain, so he refuses to give her any of the available blood at all. He has forbidden me access to that part of the hospital, so I must take matters into my own hands.”

As suddenly as his personality flipped, he changed again, and his shoulders relaxed as he rested his hand on top of where Kuroko’s gripped the side of the hospital bed.

“Tetsuya, I wish to save her, and you have the ability to do so. May I have your consent?”

He softened, and Kuroko marveled at seeing such vulnerability on a face that previously only spoke with command and condescension. His desperation became him, and Kuroko recognized the feeling of it.

“Yes,” Kuroko said. “I consent to staying here.”

“Good.”

Immediately, Akashi rose to his feet, and he retrieved a clipboard that had previously hung at the front of the bed. Akashi gave him the board along with a pen, and Kuroko stared at the long, typed document.

“This entails everything we have discussed with no added measures. Please sign the bottom to give your legal consent,” Akashi explained.

Kuroko felt a little overwhelmed at the sudden change of atmosphere, but he already gave his word. Despite his apprehensions he flipped to the last page of the document and signed his name on the dotted line.

Akashi retrieved both the clipboard and then pen with a satisfied smile. He started to the door with no more ceremony until Kuroko called out, “Wait.”

Akashi hesitated with his hand on the doorknob, and despite his emotional display earlier, he looked annoyed at the hindrance now. “Yes?”

“You never answered me. Where is Kagami-kun?” Kuroko asked.

The grin that spread across Akashi’s face was like his laugh. Something meant to be light twisted into a perverted version of itself.

“Kagami Taiga, I’m sure, is picking out your headstone, for you officially died earlier today at one thirty in the afternoon. However, I always keep my word. He will receive a job in just a few days, and if he ever falls ill, I will make sure he retrieves the best treatment. You have no reason to look so devastated.”

Akashi left the room with a resounding click of the door. Kuroko collapsed against the pillow, and he watched as the ceiling blurred into a watercolor painting of different shades of white and grey.

 ...

“What did you plan to do if he said no?”

“Were you listening to our conversation, Shintarou?”

“Of course not. Why would I stoop to something so low?”

“Hmm. He asked me that same question. What I would do if he refused.”

“Did you have an answer for him?”

“Why would I? I am absolute, and I always get what I want. There was never a chance of his refusal.”

 ...

Kise wanted to see Kuroko Tetsuya again almost as much as he didn’t. Ever since he became a Vampire, he had taken blood from countless strangers in the street, but none had caught his attention as this one had.

Most begged for release. They offered money and services in exchange for their freedom as they sniveled into the pavement. A few turned violent and threw blind fists, but of course, he and Aomine shut them down almost immediately. They all acted desperately for their own lives even though they only took a measly unit of blood.

Kuroko had pleaded for them to stop, but he used calm words and rational arguments to do so. He was also the only victim to claim that he had just returned from donating to the hospital and to be truthful about it. Kuroko’s life was the only one that the Vampires had actually endangered, and he had only politely asked them to stop.

Not to mention, he was blood type AB negative.

Kise and every single other Vampire had been looking for him for a long time.

Aomine whined about the extra work, but Kise thought he deserved any special attention he received. He only hoped that Kuroko did not recognize their voices when they entered his room. Kise always wore a mask, and Aomine and Murasakibara made sure that their victims never saw their faces. Nevertheless, this kid seemed sharp.

“What do we do if he recognizes us?” Kise posed as he pushed the food cart down the hall. Aomine strolled next to him, and he never offered to take a turn pushing.

“Huh? How could he recognize us? If the kid was giving his second pint of blood in less than twelve hours, I doubt he remembers anything from that night,” Aomine grunted. “Besides, Akashi said he never even mentioned the Vampires when he talked to him.”

Kise huffed, “I’m sure he had other things on his mind when Akashicchi was talking to him.”

Aomine did not argue that, but he did not seem concerned, so Kise supposed he shouldn’t worry either. Akashi ordered them to give him food, so he must think it safe for Kise and Aomine to interact with him. Then again, maybe Akashi did not care if he knew they were Vampires.

Kise just didn’t want Kuroko’s first impression of him to be the thug that nearly killed him on the street.

They took the elevator to the bottom floor where the research labs were located and took a turn to the north wing. The hospital only possessed three rooms like Kuroko’s, and while Midorima claimed they were for consenting test subjects, they had been empty for as long as Kise had been here.

Once they reached Kuroko’s room, Aomine opened the door, and Kise wheeled the cart inside. “I have dinner,” he greeted cheerfully, all his charm on display.

Aomine slinked inside behind him, and the door closed.

Kuroko stared blankly at them. “Hello,” he said, his voice a mere wisp. He sounded nothing like the boy who kept calm even while attacked, and a sharp pang went through Kise’s heart.

“I bet you’re hungry. Midorimacchi is giving you nutrients through the tube, but you need real food, too. We even got some of the gourmet stuff for you,” Kise chattered.

“Stop talking about it and let him eat,” Aomine griped.

Kise shot him a glare, but he didn’t want to argue in front of Kuroko. He moved the tray from the cart to Kuroko’s table, and he adjusted the settings until an extended compartment stretched across Kuroko’s bed. He even unwrapped Kuroko’s silverware and set everything out, so Kuroko could reach with ease.

He could, but he didn’t. The boy seemed so small and lost in the hospital bed, and he stared at the food as if he did not understand its purpose. “I can feed you if you want,” Kise offered.

Kuroko turned slowly to face Kise for the first time, and his eyes narrowed with deep thought. “Do I… know you?” he murmured.

Kise and Aomine both froze as they regarded Kuroko’s dazed scrutiny. They waited for the telltale shift in which his expression would twist from confusion to disgust. Then he would press the button for a nurse, but instead, only Midorima would be alerted to his distress, and Kuroko would realize just how trapped he was. They waited for hysteria and crying and despair.

Instead, Kuroko’s eyes brightened. “You’re that model, right? Kise Ryouta. Why are you working in a hospital?”

The words remained incomprehensible to Kise’s ears for a solid ten seconds before they sank into his thawing brain. Of course. He was a model, a public face. Sometimes that aspect of his job seemed small compared to the rest.

“Oh yeah!” Kise agreed, his charming smile making an appearance again. “I’m surprised you recognized me.”

“My mother used to keep some of your magazines around the house,” Kuroko admitted. “Is this a charity visit from your company?”

Before Kise could mess something up again, Aomine inserted, “Yep. He volunteers at the hospital to keep a good reputation.”

Kise disliked how Aomine worded that, but he nodded anyway. “I enjoy visiting those who risk so much to help others,” he corrected.

Kuroko nodded vaguely, and he stared down at his sheets. He only wore the white gown of a hospital patient, and it struck Kise again how much smaller he seemed. He supposed anyone who almost died and then struck a deal with Akashi would feel the same way, but just what did Akashi say to incite this blankness in his expression? Kise wanted to ask, but he feared stepping over the boundaries that Akashi had laid.

Luckily, Kuroko crossed them for him.

“Someone came here to talk to me earlier. His name was Akashi Seijuro. Do you know him?” he asked.

Kise and Aomine exchanged glances at Kuroko’s wording. The poor kid. He sounded like he thought that Akashi was just one person who dictated when he pleased. He had no idea that he, Aomine, Midorima, and Murasakibara all worked under him. Really, the only people who even knew Kuroko was here were hand-picked by Akashi himself.

“We know him,” Aomine grunted.

Kuroko narrowed his eyes, and Kise inwardly corrected his assumptions. No, he realized. The shade in his eyes revealed that he knew they were connected to Akashi, maybe just not to the full extent.

“I see,” Kuroko sighed.

Kise and Aomine waited for him to ask a question or perhaps vent about his conversation with the man, but instead, he reached for his chopsticks and half-heartedly picked at the pile of rice.

“We will visit you every day to deliver your meals,” Kise said in an attempt to cheer him up. He at least wanted him to know that he would not be entirely alone in this room forever. “If you want something like a game, just ask, and we will bring it to you.”

Kuroko only nodded.

“Come on, Kise. We’ll get his tray later. He wants to be alone,” Aomine said.

Though Kise’s first instinct was to argue, he conceded. He followed Aomine out of the room because as oblivious as he could be sometimes, even he saw Kuroko’s clear messages that he wanted to be by himself.

Once they left the room, Kise whispered, “I’m not sure this was such a good idea.”

“What choice did we have?” Aomine returned.

Kise could hardly argue with that.


	3. A Grey Void Between Oppression and Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroko is depressed (briefly).

Akashi ordered that Kuroko have a week to recover from his near-death experience. Midorima thought he probably needed more time than that, but he also understood Akashi’s urgency. Once the illness latched onto a victim, little time passed before oblivion beckoned from its doors.

Midorima knew that all too well.

As he rolled his cart down to Kuroko’s room, he worked off two hours of sleep. When he did not carry out Akashi’s tasks, he spent his time in his lab. He mixed blood and labeled beakers with attempt after attempt. He denatured hormones and studied genetic code. Blood transfusions gave them a few more weeks to live, but Midorima sought a cure.

He knocked once before he let himself into Kuroko’s room. Even though the boy had a week to rest and fatten himself up on fluids and nutrient supplements, he looked even worse than when they first brought him here. Heavy bags accented his eyes, and his pastel blue hair hung limp with oil.

Midorima sniffed and fiddled with his glasses. “I am here for your first donation,” he said.

Kuroko lifted his gaze to the intruder in his room, and Midorima waited for the inevitable burst of fury. After all, Midorima tricked him into making the move in the first place.

Rather, Kuroko registered his presence and lifted his left arm from beneath the sheets.

Midorima rolled his cart to the side of the bed, and while Kuroko’s reaction was concerning, it did make Midorima’s job easier. He plugged his portable machine into the wall, and he unrolled the cord that connected to the syringe. Midorima took Kuroko’s limp arm and rubbed the juncture of his elbow with disinfectant alcohol.

When Midorima inserted the needle into his flesh, Kuroko did not even flinch.

“Akashi considers himself deep in your debt. I’m sure, if you wanted something, you need only ask,” Midorima said. He did not entirely know why he offered the information except that the boy’s passiveness was starting to unnerve him. His presence barely made an impression, and when Midorima looked away, he almost felt surprised to see the boy still lying in bed when he turned back.

“Would he let me see my friend again?” Kuroko murmured.

Ah, Midorima thought. So that’s it.

He turned on the machine, and a quiet thrum signaled the gentle pull of Kuroko’s blood into the bagged compartment.

“Have you bathed?” Midorima asked.

“Kise-kun removed my restraints to let me shower yesterday. Or perhaps the day before. I do not remember.”

“And someone removes them when you need to use the restroom, correct?”

Kuroko nodded. “Either Kise-kun or Aomine-kun. They do not seem like nurses.”

Midorima sniffed. “They barely qualify for the jobs they have. Akashi assigned them to watch over you.”

“And you?”

Midorima stiffened as Kuroko turned pale, lifeless eyes to him. “Did Akashi-kun assign you to me as well?” he clarified.

“I am your personal doctor, but you are not my sole charge,” Midorima answered carefully.

“Do you care for others like me? Captured by Akashi-kun for his own purposes,” Kuroko said.

“No, you are the only one under those circumstances,” Midorima grunted. Kuroko sighed, and somehow, the utter hopelessness on his face urged him to continue, “I spend most of my time in the research lab, but I do care for two other patients. One has been here for a very long time. Perhaps you might like to meet him.”

For the first time in their conversation Kuroko gained some light in his eyes, and he observed Midorima curiously. The doctor might have felt uncomfortable if he was not so relieved to find that the hospital had not completely stolen Kuroko’s soul yet.

“Perhaps,” Kuroko repeated. “Is he dying?”

Midorima’s heart lurched in his chest, and he adjusted his glasses to avoid looking at the blunt boy. “No,” he answered firmly.

The machine beeped to signal the end of the blood donation as well as the conversation. Midorima carefully removed the needle and bandaged Kuroko’s arm. He cleaned the machine with disinfectant wipes, and then he left the room.

…

Midorima added a tea kettle next to the Russian doll. The shelf that housed his lucky items wrapped all around the four walls of his lab, and exactly eighty-four items currently occupied two-thirds of the space. One for each day in which he had been searching for a cure. One for each day since Takao checked into the hospital for coughs that left blood in the palm of his hand.

Once he offered his daily tribute to fate, he returned to the table that contained sixteen vials of blood. Two vials for each blood type, one healthy and one rotten with ABO.

A stack of composition notebooks acted as a cornerstone at the right of the table. Data for experiments, observations, and theories rested within the worn pages, but nothing pointed to a cure. Midorima finally managed to pinpoint the exact cause of the disease. The illness denatured the blood cells to the point that they could no longer carry out their functions, but that knowledge did not present Midorima with a solution.

Frustration threatened to overwhelm him, so Midorima slipped on his gloves and reached for the first vial.

“How did Tetsuya’s first donation go?”

Midorima glared at Akashi, but he felt thankful that he at least hadn’t grabbed a vial yet. Otherwise, blood would decorate their clothing now, for as long as Midorima had known Akashi, the latter still managed to surprise him.

“I’m sure you know,” Midorima huffed.

Akashi’s sharp eyes scanned the notebooks and lucky items across the wall, but his gaze landed on Midorima and locked hold. “Shintarou.”

Midorima sighed. “The donation itself went well. The supplements have increased his cell growth exponentially. The machine retrieved a unit from him easily.”

“However?” Akashi prompted. Nothing slipped past his eyes.

“However, he is unhappy,” Midorima admitted. “Cutting him off from his friend might have been a mistake. He is depressed, and he lacks motivation or any initiative.”

“Isolating him was necessary,” Akashi insisted.

“I do not care either way. He is your pet, and I only interact with him because his existence is vital for one of my patients. However, I thought you might send him with Takao to the garden. Your father would think nothing of Aomine and Kise escorting Takao with another patient there for Takao’s enjoyment,” Midorima suggested.

Akashi mulled over the possibility, seeing the scenario from all angles. Midorima recognized the expression on his features, and he waited until Akashi finally nodded.

“I do not wish for him to be unhappy. I severed his relationship with his friend out of necessity rather than cruelty. Kazunari will be good for him,” Akashi decided.

Midorima thought Akashi had strange methods of making the boy happy, but he kept that opinion to himself. He had work to do.

…

Kuroko grew used to the routine in the hospital. Besides Midorima’s machine and odd conversation, the days went the same. Kise and Aomine visited him three times a day with food though occasionally an impossibly tall boy with purple hair replaced one of them. He introduced himself as Murasakibara, and Kuroko found the mouthful of a name appropriate for such a large body.

Whenever Kuroko needed to relieve himself, he pushed a button on his bed, and Kise popped in to remove his bindings. The exuberant blond always offered to help Kuroko use the bathroom, but Kuroko continuously pointed out that he was not disabled, only imprisoned.

The same conversation took place when Kuroko asked for a shower as well. He changed from one hospital gown to another.

Sometimes he thought of Kagami, but that was too painful. He tried to read the book on his bedside table, but the story did not interest him. He resigned himself to think of nothing.

Midorima at least provided a break from the monotony though Kuroko did not bring himself to think that way until he managed to lift himself from the continuous fog. The young doctor acted with the precision and decisiveness of someone with his own motivations. Kuroko wondered why he followed someone like Akashi in that case, but then he thought of Akashi’s ownership of the hospital and Midorima’s other two patients, and Kuroko thought he understood at least a portion of it.

Kuroko leaned back in his bed, and he decided to take a nap to reward himself for one exciting thing that day. However, just as he closed his eyes, the door opened, and Kise skipped into the room.

“Kurokocchi! Good news,” he cheered.

Aomine shuffled through after him, and Kuroko eyed them both suspiciously. Now that they were here, Kuroko remembered something else from his and Midorima’s conversation.

“You lied to me,” Kuroko accused.

Kise and Aomine froze, and they exchanged terrified expressions.

“You said that your modeling agency sent you here for charity. Midorima-kun said you work here as my caretakers,” Kuroko clarified.

When Kise and Aomine immediately relaxed, Kuroko wondered just what the two had thought he’d discovered. He filed that away for later, but he decided to focus on one discrepancy at a time.

Kise laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah yeah, you got me! To be honest I wasn’t sure of how much you were supposed to know, and most people here don’t recognize me as a model…”

“That’s because you’re a hopeless idiot,” Aomine grunted. “No one expects you to be anything past that.”

“There’s no need to be rude! Besides, that is the point,” Kise huffed.

Aomine shot Kise a sharp look and slapped him across the head. “Weren’t you about to tell Kuroko the good news?” he growled.

Kuroko watched their exchange carefully, and while his neutral expression never wavered, he noticed everything. A part of him still groaned that there was no point when he would die in this hospital bed without ever seeing Kagami again, but another, more familiar part of him nudged at his mind. Just because Akashi claimed he could not see Kagami again did not mean anything. Everyone here considered Akashi’s word as law, but since when did Kuroko abide by such social rules?

Obviously, something took place beneath the outer workings of this hospital. If he unwound the mystery, perhaps he could find a way to see Kagami while still keeping them both protected.

Either way, this new mindset beat staring at the ceiling for nineteen hours every day.

“What good news?” Kuroko urged.

Kise beamed at his minimum interest, and Kuroko practically saw sparkles dance around his face. “We have permission to take you out to the gardens!” he cheered. “And you even get to meet someone else here at the hospital.”

“The patient of Midorima-kun’s?”

“Yep! Midorimacchi’s special friend,” Kise confirmed with a wink.

“Here, we brought something a little better than that gown,” Aomine said. He tossed a pale blue bundle to Kuroko, and when he realized his arms were still bound to the bed, he blushed. His dark skin hid most of it, but Kuroko noticed, and his lips twitched in amusement.

Aomine crossed the room and removed the Velcro straps. Kuroko slid out of the bed and disappeared into the bathroom. When he returned, he wore scrubs that fit him decently enough even if they hung loosely on his small form.

Kise gave him some sandals, and as soon as Kuroko slipped them on, Kise weaved his arm through Kuroko’s. Aomine walked on Kuroko’s other side, and the blue-eyed boy did not have much choice but to go along with them. While Kise chattered the entire time, Kuroko took the chance to take in as much as possible of the hospital outside his room.

The hall looked normal enough, but Kuroko noticed only two other doors besides his own for a long time. Once the hall gave way to an open floor, a few scattered desks and offices took up most of the space, but Kuroko only saw a few other workers.

“Is that a laboratory?” Kuroko asked, pointing to a door with a toxic sign on the front.

“Yep!” Kise confirmed. “That’s Midorimacchi’s lab. Don’t go in there, or he’ll pitch you off the roof of the hospital, and it’s six stories tall!”

“What floor is this?”

“Well, we’re actually on floor negative one,” Kise confided.

When Kuroko tilted his head in confusion, Aomine supplied, “There are actually seven floors, but one is underground. We have to take an elevator up to reach the gardens.”

“We are the research department here at sub-one,” Kise declared proudly.

They passed the desks, and Kuroko wondered if the open offices belonged to Kise, Aomine, and Midorima when they did not care for him. As they entered another hallway with more doors, Kuroko recalled his conversation with the man who orchestrated his new life.

“Isn’t Akashi Seijuro the head of this department?” he questioned.

Kise nodded. “This is his kingdom.”

Somehow, the strange metaphor did not seem so wry when Kuroko recalled his eerie crimson and golden eyes.

They reached the elevator, and a boy in a wheelchair waited for them. He smiled in a way that lit up his whole face as soon as he caught sight of them, and he waved big even though it only took a few seconds for the three of them to finally reach him.

“I’ve been waiting forever on you guys!” he exclaimed. “Where have you been? And I thought Shin-chan took forever to primp…”

His silver eyes widened when they landed on Kuroko, and somehow, his grin grew even brighter. “You must be Kuroko! Shin-chan told me all about you. How are you finding Akashi’s hospitality? He may be scary on the best of days, but he sure knows how to treat a guy, huh?”

“I… suppose,” Kuroko answered, glancing up at Kise.

Kise smiled. “This is Takao Kazunari. He’s one of Midorimacchi’s patients.”

“And I’ve been here forever, so I can tell you all the tricks about living here at the hospital,” Takao confided with a wink.

“Thank you, Takao-kun.”

The four of them filed inside the elevator, and Aomine pushed the button for the ground floor. As the elevator lurched, Kuroko thought back to his conversation with Midorima. If he only cared for three patients, that meant he and Takao and one another. Kuroko suspected the third was Akashi’s loved one.

Takao appeared rather cheery for someone with ABO. He chatted with Kise as if they were schoolchildren, and he teased Aomine until even he had to join in if only to make a rude comment toward Kise. He did not act like someone with a chronic disease, but when Kuroko looked closer, he noticed the signs.

Waxy pale skin, a slight tremble in his fingers. He must be in the later stages of the disease if he could no longer walk and required a wheelchair.

Midorima insisted that he was not dying, but Kuroko supposed that was a hint of sentiment.

Once they reached the ground floor, Takao led the way. Despite the shakiness of his hands he operated the wheelchair expertly if not a bit like a racecar driver. He rolled the chair on a single wheel as much as he did both.

Kuroko suspected that while they were now on the first floor, they still avoided the majority of the hospital. Few people walked the halls, and the ones who did acted as if Takao zoomed across the tile every other day. Kise and Aomine nodded their heads to a few, so they must be acquainted as well.

Takao led them to the end of a hall, and when he reached a pair of double doors, he turned around and smiled directly at Kuroko. “Lesson one,” he said. “This is our tiny piece of paradise.”

He pushed the handicapped button, and the doors opened to reveal sunlight that blinded Kuroko for a few moments. He had spent so long in the hospital room that he’d almost forgotten what natural light felt like. Once his eyes adjusted, he held his breath at the strange shade of beauty before him.

Grinning smugly, Kise pushed him forward, and they all strolled down a stone path in which flakes of gold glittered between the slabs of marble and quartz. Willow trees and cherry blossom trees offered shade down the path, and a few stretched their limbs over stone benches and wooden swings. The garden itself seemed ordinary though pretty. He recognized thin leaves of rosemary and the peculiar dimples of sage.

Then the stone road curved, and every shade of color known to man presented itself in a rolling rainbow. Golden flowers, strings of purple blossoms, and clusters of pink petals beckoned for attention as they swayed in the wind.

The sweet scent of nectar nearly overwhelmed Kuroko. Aomine noticed immediately, and he led him to a bench where Kuroko sat down.

“Pretty amazing, right?” Takao cheered.

Kuroko nodded. His gaze could not find a place to linger. The flowers, the stones, the trees, the swings. Everything pulled at him, and he closed his eyes briefly to recollect.

“The gardens are sacred,” Kise informed him. “Five people are hired here to care for the gardens alone. There are even legends that patients come out here, and the beauty heals them instantly.”

“Do patients often come here?” Kuroko asked. He noticed that no one besides the four of them currently viewed the gardens.

Kise nodded eagerly. “Definitely! There are almost always patients and families out here, but Akashi always closes the gardens to the public when someone he knows wants to visit them.”

“Or when he doesn’t want someone interacting with anyone else,” Aomine grunted.

Kise shot him a glare, but Takao immediately drew Kuroko’s attention. He wheeled his chair beside the bench and swept his arm outward in a huge gesture. “Everything here has medicinal properties! At least that’s what Shin-chan told me. I really don’t know much about the science side of things,” Takao confided, rubbing the back of his neck.

Kuroko smiled softly. He was growing fond of this terminal patient who always wore a smile. “Someone must have put a lot of work into the planning of this garden,” he mused.

“You bet!” Takao agreed. “Everyone thought she was crazy at the time. People kept telling her that she was overstepping her boundaries and that she did not have the right, but they’re all eating their words now. The hospital is now the most famous in Japan, and most of the reason is the gardens.”

“She?” Kuroko repeated.

“Yeah, the director’s wife! Shiori Akashi. You know, Akashi’s mother?” Takao said.

Kuroko’s lips parted, and he stared out at the garden once again. Now Takao’s previous comments made sense, for he imagined that many thought a director’s wife bold for making such a strong move in her husband’s work. But if her son gained any of her traits from her, Kuroko imagined she stood up against the criticism just fine.

Though Kuroko had a hard time adjusting his image of the terrifying man who stole his life with a mother who created such a beautiful garden. Then again, Akashi apparently possessed some form of compassion, for he took quite desperate measures to protect his loved one. Still, Kuroko imagined he could have simply appealed to his mother for help with the matter, but maybe…

Perhaps it was the sunlight or the gentle breeze, but Kuroko thought he had figured it out.

“Where is she now?” Kuroko asked.

All three of his companions shot him strange looks, and those confirmed Kuroko’s theory even before Kise’s next words did.

“Didn’t you know? Shiori Akashi is sick with ABO. The blood you’re donating is going to her.”

“She has blood type AB negative,” Aomine added.

Kuroko felt as if he entered a dream. When he replied, the words did not seem to come from his own mouth. “Akashi-kun only told me that his loved one was sick. I assumed he meant a lover.”

A giggle erupted from Takao’s mouth. “That’s just like Akashi, huh? He never gives away all the information. Besides I can’t even imagine him with a girlfriend. That would be scary… But yeah, his mom is Shin-chan’s third patient! Just you, me, and her.”

While Takao chattered on obliviously, Aomine and Kise watched Kuroko carefully. Their expressions clearly showed their uncertainty in his reaction, and Kuroko could understand why. While the information should not have changed much, he felt as if he needed to recalculate everything.

“I believe,” Kuroko said. “I would like to speak to Akashi-kun.”


	4. A Subtle Confrontation Between Challenger and Opponent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akashi and Kuroko discuss some of their terms. Kagami starts to lose it.

Kagami stared at a vanilla milkshake across the table, and he wiped his eyes with the palms of his hands. When he brewed a pot of coffee for himself in the morning, he made the milkshake out of habit for someone that no longer shared the kitchen table with him. Kagami used to tease him for wanting dessert for breakfast, but Kuroko had always waved him off with a blatant disregard for proper nutrition.

Now Kagami watched the ice cream melt in silence.

The emptiness inside him ached. He always heard that time made these things easier, but Kagami disagreed. As he carried on day after day, the shock wore off, and he only felt worse.

He just did not understand.

_He left to go get Kuroko and him something to eat, and when he returned with a tray of hamburgers, noodles, and a milkshake, he found the room empty save for the darkened monitor. He blinked twice before he realized that a doctor with green hair and glasses waited for him by the bathroom door._

_“I am afraid that your friend went into cardiac arrest. We tried our best, but his body was already weak from the deficiency of blood. I am sorry for your loss,” he said._

_The doctor straightened his glasses with taped fingers while Kagami struggled to understand. His mind already grasped for comprehension of Kuroko’s disappearance, and this guy’s words did not even make sense. Cardiac arrest? Kagami just saw him twenty minutes ago, and he had been fine! Maybe a little tired but fine!_

_“W-what?” Kagami stammered. “What the hell are you saying?”_

_“Kuroko Tetsuya is dead. Please leave the premises.”_

_The tray dropped from his hands, and milkshake splattered across the floor._

Kagami remembered the way the drink had crept across the sterilized tiles as he gazed at the milkshake across from him in the cheap dollar cup he and Kuroko had picked up at a hodgepodge shop. Everything in their apartment was cheap. When they had each grasped at part-time shifts at convenience stores and body shops, they’d barely managed to make their rent every month.

They’d sometimes skipped meals, and they’d occasionally barricaded their door when fights broke out in the building, but it had still been a good life. Kagami would cook, and Kuroko would clean. They had done laundry and shopping together. When they’d needed some time to enjoy themselves, they’d played basketball in the streets, or they’d read out loud to one another. Kuroko had often requested that he read English books to him, and he’d recited poetry to Kagami while he’d cooked.

Maybe they had been small in the greater scheme of things, but they’d been happy. And that had been more than either of them could have said before they’d met.

_Kagami and his father moved to Japan just before ABO swept across the country. They planned to live in this apartment together while Kagami went to school. However, his father received a change in position suddenly, and he needed to return to America. Kagami intended to follow him back, but then the plague broke out, and the quarantine laws prevented Kagami from leaving. The new laws also kept his father from returning to him, so Kagami felt isolated in a country now declared a danger zone._

_He first met Kuroko at a street basketball court. Kagami had played in America, and his basketball was one of the few possessions he kept with him. The short blue-haired kid sucked at the game, but he loved to play, and that was enough for Kagami. Plus, he was dainty enough that Kagami didn’t think he would come after him with a knife._

_Those had been the sorts of things he needed to consider in this new world of fear._

_The impromptu basketball games started to be what Kagami looked forward to in his life. At that time he worked for a mechanic from eight to five, but as soon as he got off, he made his way to the court where Kuroko always waited for him. They often played until dark, and then Kagami went home to his empty apartment._

_Kagami always assumed Kuroko returned to his own home as well. Sure, he noticed some strange things about the kid. He was way too thin, and sometimes he stumbled or had dizzy spells, but Kagami ignorantly passed the unusual behavior off as his lack of talent in basketball._

_He did not realize the extent of the situation until he worked a late shift at the mechanic’s and ended up coming home deep into the night. He passed by the court on the way to his apartment and noticed a strange bundle next to the goal. When he drew closer, he recognized the tattered jacket and the blue hair._

_“Don’t tell me you sleep here,” he blurted out._

_Kuroko shuffled and sat up with wild bed hair. He rubbed at his eyes. “Sometimes,” he admitted sheepishly._

_Kagami groaned and held out his hand. “Come on. You’re staying with me,” he ordered._

_At the time he worried that Kuroko would turn him down. They had known each other for a couple of months by this point, and he genuinely liked the kid. The idea of him sleeping in the cold where anyone could come by and take advantage of him left a bad taste in his mouth._

_But Kuroko smiled, and he walked home with Kagami on that night and every night afterward._

_They were best friends. Practically brothers. Kagami did not even know if there was a word to describe that kind of bond, but he knew that he now wondered how he ever survived without him._

Almost like a cruel joke, the rest of Kagami’s life suddenly seemed to take a turn for the better since the hospital took Kuroko. The fire station where he occasionally worked an odd shift for freelance cash had offered him a full-time position for just over minimum wage. Not only that, but his rent had dropped to only half of what it used to be. If Kuroko was still by his side, they would be living a life of luxury right now.

Irrational anger surged through Kagami’s veins, and he suddenly backhanded the vanilla milkshake into the wall. He hated Kuroko for leaving him, but that wasn’t right. He despised those damn Vampires for taking him away. If they had left Kuroko alone and let him reach their apartment safely, then this whole thing would have never happened. Kagami would have eventually talked Kuroko into ceasing his donations. They would have eventually found steady jobs to give them some stability in their lives.

But no. Those damned Vampires ruined all of that. Before this, he felt fairly neutral toward the vigilantes that stole blood in the night, but now he hated them more than anything else.

Kuroko stood strongly against violence, but such values did him very little good at the end. Besides Kagami needed something. Some sort of closure if he could ever even think about moving on.

He would make them pay. He would track every one of those Vampires down and force them to suffer as he did.

Starting tonight.

…

Akashi knew from the sound of the knock that Aomine stood outside his office door. The three gruff pounds clearly indicated his brutish nature, and Akashi barely refrained from sighing. While he generally encouraged those working under him to take advantage of his open-door policy as long as they refrained from a certain level of stupidity, he had been studying a file he just retrieved from his father. Well, a file Momoi successfully hacked from his father’s computer, but the end justified the means.

He was more of a businessman than a scientist, so he required several reference texts to decipher the lab experiments and data. Once he reached a zone in which he scrolled through the document continuously as he scribbled notes in a pad, he hated to be interrupted. He had just gathered that his father’s scientists had concocted some sort of formula, and he yearned to learn more.

Nevertheless, he could not afford to ignore anything, even from Aomine. Perhaps this was important.

Akashi opened the door and regarded the dark-skinned man with clear distaste. He wore his security uniform with lazy disregard for neatness, and he leaned against the doorway. “Hey, Akashi, can I talk to you?” he asked.

Akashi stepped back. “You may come in,” he acknowledged.

Aomine immediately crossed the room to the single hard-backed chair across from Akashi’s desk. Akashi shut the door and returned to his own seat, but this time, he rolled away from his computer screen and faced Aomine. He folded his hands on the desk.

“What matter brings you here?” Akashi inquired.

“It’s about that kid. Tetsu,” Aomine said.

“You mean Tetsuya? Has something happened?”

His voice gained an edge, so Aomine hastily replied, “No, he’s fine. Kise and I took him out to the gardens with Takao, and he seemed to perk up a bit.”

“Yes, I authorized that excursion. I hoped Kazunari’s demeanor might lighten Tetsuya’s mood.”

“The kid’s poker face makes all his moods look practically the same,” Aomine grunted. “Anyway, now he wants to talk to you.”

Akashi lifted his eyebrows. “Is that so? Did he give an indication of the topic?”

Aomine shook his head as he opened his mouth in a giant yawn. “Nope, but he got this look in his eyes. He’s probably going to demand some change in his room or something. Maybe ask for the restraints to be removed.”

“Hm… I suppose that could be arranged. I did not want him wandering the hallways without supervision, but I could have a higher grade of locks installed in the doors,” Akashi mused.

Aomine shrugged. “I’m not positive that’s what he’s interested in, but it’s likely.”

Akashi started to change the subject, but then he noticed the way Aomine averted his eyes. This in itself was not unusual, for Aomine usually found eye contact to be too much trouble, but with the way he rubbed the back of his neck as well, he appeared almost nervous. Akashi could not recall such an emotion from the blue-haired man before.

When Akashi found Aomine, the change had already taken place in his heart. He knew from his childhood friend, Momoi Satsuki, that he used to be a light-hearted boy, but the plague managed to steal that as well.

Satsuki worked for him as a data analyst, and Akashi actually owed most of the information he gained about his father from her. Four months ago, she had come to him and begged him to save her friend who had been arrested for assault. He respected Satsuki, so he had looked into the matter and found that he saw quite a bit of potential in this Aomine Daiki. He’d bailed him out, and Aomine had been working for him ever since.

He was a bit lazy, but he did his work, and that’s all Akashi asked. However, to see him show any sort of personal interest was a strange enigma, so Akashi patiently waited for him to put his thoughts into words.

“He’s a pretty good kid,” Aomine finally said. “But he hates being a prisoner. Maybe lighten up on him some, and he might prove more useful to you than you think.”

Akashi narrowed his eyes. While he welcomed opinions from his subordinates, he did not accept criticism. Aomine seemed to realize that he had crossed a line, for he stood.

“I better get going,” he said. “I left Kise with Tetsu to talk to you, and I’m afraid the idiot will molest him if I leave them alone too long.”

“Daiki.”

Aomine instantly paused, and Akashi stood as well. His aura darkened to the point that even as dense as Aomine could be, he watched in wariness.

“I want you and Ryota to go on a raid tonight,” he commanded.

“What? But we found someone with AB negative blood. Why do we need to go on raids anymore?” he whined.

Akashi’s eyes glinted, and Aomine quieted. “I recommend you refrain from questions and carry out your orders, but if you must know, Shintarou has requested more blood for his experiments. Go and prepare your equipment. I will rescue Tetsuya from Ryota.”

Aomine nodded once and fled his office. As soon as he was alone once again, Akashi sighed and collapsed into his chair. He went over the meeting in his head, and he wondered what could make someone like Aomine so concerned about Tetsuya’s wellbeing. Akashi cared for him as well, for he wanted his savior to remain happy.

Perhaps Akashi knew little about people, but he gave Tetsuya food, shelter, and clothing. He even provided financial and medical stability for his only loved one. Was that not what humans required for contentment?

Akashi returned to his computer and mentally adjusted today’s regimen. Once he finished translating the document into understandable terms, he would go see Kuroko.

…

Kuroko genuinely liked Takao, and he felt a pang of loneliness when they bid goodbye at Kuroko’s door. He almost wanted to invite him to his room, but Kuroko recognized signs of exhaustion in Takao toward the end of their excursion, and he did not want to keep him from his bed. If ABO attacked his body, then he needed rest.

Kuroko had even grown fond of Aomine. Once he made himself clear that he wanted to speak with Akashi, they stayed in the gardens and talked for another hour. He learned that Aomine also liked basketball and used to play as a kid. Aomine immediately warmed up to him when Kuroko told of how he and Kagami played in the streets quite a bit. Or at least, they used to.

When Kuroko quieted as he thought of his friend, Aomine bumped his shoulder and promised him a game sometime soon. Kuroko smiled and agreed.

Once they decided to go back inside the hospital, Aomine disappeared, and that left Kuroko with Kise.

Kuroko liked Kise. The model was exuberant and excited, and he clearly cared about Kuroko’s comfort. He asked about Kuroko’s favorite foods and hobbies in order to make his stay here at the hospital more enjoyable. Kuroko appreciated his efforts, but to be perfectly frank, Kise exhausted him.

Even just nodding along with Kise’s continuous conversation wiped him of his energy. Kise led him back to his room, and then he made himself at home in the reclining chair and chattered with his hands just as much as his mouth.

At least Kise did not return the Velcro straps as long as he stayed in the room with Kuroko.

“So if you like books, have you read the one on the table? I don’t really read much, but I think there are books in all the research rooms. Akashicchi is really picky about his department, so he wants everything to be just right. But anyway, did you like it?”

His eyes sparkled, and Kuroko realized he was meant to reply. “I have not actually read this book. It did not appeal to my interests,” Kuroko admitted.

“Oh! Well, what are your interests? I’m not so great with books, but I bet I can find someone who is. I can go buy a bunch that you like, so you have something to do when Aominecchi and I have to go work somewhere else. You probably get bored a lot, don’t you?”

Kuroko nodded once before he asked, “What other work do you and Aomine do? If you lied about visiting the hospital as charity work, then how do you work here when you are a model as well?”

Kise rubbed the back of his neck as he thought over the question. “Well… I guess Akashicchi won’t get mad if I tell you this. I originally worked here as an intern. Bet you never would have guessed that I majored in medicine, huh? His dad originally hired me, but then Akashicchi took me as an apprentice because he said he saw some potential in me. He got me my first shoot as a model, and we split the money. He uses the cash to fund some of his projects without his dad finding out about it. Akashicchi can be pretty sneaky sometimes.”

“I never knew there could be such animosity inside a family,” Kuroko admitted.

Kise nodded solemnly. “The Akashi family has all kinds of problems, and really, Akashicchi turned out pretty well considering the circumstances.”

“Is that so, Ryota?”

Kuroko and Kise turned to see the subject of their conversation standing in the doorway. The strange angle of the hospital lights cast a shadow on his face, and he appeared like a demon in his suit and blood red hair. Kuroko did not blame Kise for paling and trembling with fear.

“I, uh, did not know y-you were coming, Akashicchi,” he stammered with a hysteric grin altering his handsome features.

Akashi offered a dangerously polite smile as he stepped fully inside the room. “Of course. Kuroko wanted to see me, so I am here to oblige. Now Ryota, find Daiki. I left an assignment for the two of you.”

Kise shot up so fast from his chair that he nearly knocked it over. He hastily bid Kuroko goodbye, and then he scampered out the door in a nervous flurry. Once they were alone, Akashi took the recliner that Kise previously occupied and gave Kuroko his full attention.

Kuroko felt his gaze like a physical weight, and it took a surprising amount of concentration not to look away. When they spoke the last time, Kuroko had been disoriented by the sudden changes going on in his life, but now he felt both at an advantage and at a disadvantage. On one hand he knew exactly what he wanted. On the other Kuroko suddenly felt very aware of just who he was up against.

“Daiki seemed to believe you had something important to discuss,” Akashi opened. He folded his hands primly over his crossed knees, and despite his small stature, all the light and air in the room seemed to flock to him. The effect left Kuroko choking.

“Yes,” he managed. “I have learned a few details I was unaware of at the beginning of our arrangement.”

Akashi raised his eyebrows. “I see. If Ryota is your source, I am not sure how this changes anything,” he scoffed.

The flippancy in his voice and the subtle authority in his posture threatened to steal away Kuroko’s resolve, but he thought of Kagami alone in their apartment, and he forced himself to persevere. “Kise-kun is not my only informant. You never told me my blood was going to your mother.”

When Akashi tensed, Kuroko thought he was likely on the right track. “I still fail to see how this is relevant,” he said, darker now.

“You told me a loved one,” Kuroko continued. “You gave me half-stories, and you decided on the terms before you even met with me. I was weak and still in shock, and you took advantage of that.”

Akashi’s left eye glinted, but he did not turn sharp with anger as Kuroko almost expected. “That is fair. You were in a weaker position, and I used that to ensure my own success.”

Kuroko wondered if Akashi knew just how much of an advantage he had held over him at the time. Not only had he donated blood earlier that day, but the Vampires had attacked him that night. If any one of those things had not happened, Kuroko might have had more wits about him when Akashi struck their deal. Did Akashi even know of the Vampires that stole some of his blood? Kuroko supposed this did not truly matter either way.

“I wish to renegotiate the terms,” Kuroko said. “You pulled a dirty trick, but did you not think I would willingly give my blood to help your mother? If I can save her life, then I will do everything I can. However, I cannot continue to live like a prisoner here.”

Judging by the slight alter in Akashi’s expression, he truly did not believe Kuroko would have helped him without all the manipulation and trickery. Kuroko softened as he wondered just who taught this young man to regard everyone in the world with such distrust.

“Midorima-kun can take as much blood from me as he can to give to your mother, and I will keep quiet so that your father does not find out about my existence,” Kuroko promised. “But I want to see Kagami-kun. He is the only family I have left, and I cannot let him think I died and abandoned him when I am truly safe and sound. Please, that is all I want.”

“That is… all?” Akashi repeated.

Kuroko nodded, but after a moment, he shook his head. “No, not quite,” he admitted.

Akashi narrowed his eyes, and he seemed to find himself back on familiar footing. “What other terms do you demand in exchange for your blood?” he questioned.

“You are not my master nor my jailer. We can cooperate as civil human beings, so there is no need to bind me to the bed. I will not go anywhere that you deem unsafe, but I would like to use the restroom without assistance,” Kuroko explained.

Akashi waited for more, but when Kuroko did not elaborate, he crossed his arms. Kuroko wondered if he had gone too far yet, but he thought his conditions reasonable. He truly did not mind offering his blood to save a woman who oversaw the beauty of the gardens. He donated so often to save lives anyway, so this only felt more personal.

However, he was a human being, and he refused to live in such passive misery any longer. Especially when he feared how Kagami did without him.

“I can agree to your terms,” Akashi finally said. “But your friend, Kagami Taiga, must act as if he still believes you are dead when he is not here visiting you. I cannot risk my father finding something odd about the workings within the hospital.”

Kuroko nodded. “I understand. Kagami-kun will also agree to your condition.” At least Kuroko planned to make sure he did.

“I see,” Akashi said.

The short answer felt strange, and Kuroko tilted his head to the side. “Then you agree?” he questioned.

Akashi slowly rose to his feet. While his height paled in comparison to that of Kise and Aomine, he still managed to leer over Kuroko when he sat in the hospital bed. Akashi shortened the already small distance between them, and he gripped both side rails of the bed with his hands, effectively trapping Kuroko under him.

“Let me make something very clear,” Akashi said quietly.

Kuroko froze at the close proximity, but he did not dare look away. He smelled the expensive cologne that Akashi must have put on that morning, and he noticed every miniscule ripple of his dress shirt. When a few strands of Akashi’s scarlet hair fell into his eyes, Kuroko watched every minute detail.

“We can negotiate as equals. I will allow you this freedom for which you have asked. However, I will do whatever it takes to achieve my goals, and if you get in the way of that, I will not hesitate to cut my losses,” he hissed.

Akashi gently reached out his right hand and caressed Kuroko’s cheek. Kuroko tried not to flinch, but judging by the way the other’s expression softened, Akashi noticed the wariness in his shining blue eyes.

“I owe you my life, Tetsuya. You have given me an opportunity I feared I might never find,” he whispered. “I do want you to be happy.”

As if the gentle touch never happened, Akashi stepped back, and he regained his business-like stance. “But I must make myself clear on this issue,” he finished coldly.

Kuroko feared that he would not manage a word, but he forced out his final reply. “Thank you. I understand.”

Akashi smiled. Kuroko thought he would never grow used to the twistedness of the gesture, and he sighed with relief when Akashi finally left him alone in his room. He did not strap Kuroko’s arms back to the side rails, so he probably should consider that a victory.

Nevertheless, the place where Akashi touched his cheek burned, and Kuroko wondered if he could really consider anything about the conversation a success.


	5. A Fierce Battle Between Past and Present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagami and Akashi meet, and Kuroko's lives combine.

Kagami supposed he should have guessed this would happen. From the moment the sun set and washed Japan over with a blanket of darkness, he had been roaming the desolate streets. He took every empty road in Tokyo, and while he happened across plenty of drug deals and other shady conspiracies, he never once caught sight of a gang of vigilantes attacking an innocent bystander for blood.

Disheartened and more furious than he had ever been in his life, Kagami began trekking home around midnight. He took the same street that Kuroko had so often walked after another reckless trip to the hospital. The same street where Kagami had found Kuroko passed out on the ground, his cell phone tossed beside him. The same street where he lost everything.

When Kagami caught movement at the corner of his eye, he realized he should have started here.

Didn’t all those cheesy cop shows proclaim that criminals always returned to the scene of the crime?

This was where they killed Kuroko, so Kagami should have known this was where he would meet them once again. Kuroko may have died in the hospital, but they took away any chance he had on this dirty strip of pavement.

When a heavy hand landed on Kagami’s shoulder and another took his wrist, he saw what would happen in his mind. They would twist his arm and knee him in the back, so he would fall to the ground. One would pin him there while the other reached for his arm. A flawless technique. It probably worked on Kuroko without a hitch, and it would have worked on Kagami, too.

But Kagami was ready for it.

He twisted around in a flash, and he threw his fist in a swift arc. The guy who grabbed him jerked back, but Kagami already came around with a second punch, and this one caught him in the jaw.

“Motherfucker!” a gravelly voice cursed. Kagami allowed himself the luxury of getting one good look at his opponent – dark skin, blue hair, dangerous eyes – before he came forward with another attack.

Before he even managed to throw his fists up, a punch almost identical to the first one he threw came toward his chin. Kagami knew what was coming, and he flinched away, but this second Vampire – blond hair but a mask covered his face – must have been a quick learner. He copied Kagami’s move perfectly and came at Kagami with the second punch. His fist caught Kagami’s cheekbone rather than his chin, but the force made him stumble backward.

“What the hell are you doing?” the dark-skinned Vampire demanded. Recovered and pissed as hell, he crouched in a battle stance.

Kagami righted himself and wiped a hand across the bruise he knew would soon bloom on his cheek. “You killed my best friend, and now you’re going to pay for it,” he growled.

He did not truly expect the Vampires to understand what he meant, but both the first and second halted and exchanged wide-eyed glances.

“We’re not allowed to hurt him. What do we do?” the blond muttered.

“Shit,” the other swore. “Call Akashi.”

The blond pulled out a smartphone, and Kagami lunged forward. “No, you don’t! You didn’t give Kuroko a chance to call for help, and I’m not giving you one either,” he shouted.

Before he managed to swipe the phone away, the dark-skinned Vampire cut him off with a swift kick to his gut. Kagami wheezed, but he kept his feet. He quickly reprioritized, and he focused on this Vampire for now. His dark eyes burned with the desire to fight, and Kagami understood that at least. They both moved at the same time and met each other halfway.

The adrenaline surging through his veins heightened his senses, and Kagami had not felt so alive since the day he lost Kuroko.

…

Akashi returned to Kuroko’s room later that night. Though he normally despised any sort of rebellion in his subordinates, Kuroko intrigued him. He remained polite and respectful even while he made his demands, and he did not cower in fear when Akashi employed his intimidation. He was an enigma to say the least.

Akashi knocked once before entering the room, and he hesitated when he found the bed empty.

Though Akashi knew the notion impossible, he immediately thought that Kuroko had taken the opportunity and escaped. Fury surged inside him, but he forced the emotion within a perfectly contained box. After all, that was ridiculous. Kuroko could not leave the hospital without his knowledge.

A moment later, the bathroom door opened, and Kuroko stepped out in jeans and a pale yellow collared shirt. Also as a part of their new deal, Akashi ordered that a small wardrobe that did not include scrubs or hospital gowns be sent to his room.

Dampness colored Kuroko’s hair a slightly darker blue, and a small towel hung around his neck as he emerged. He must have just finished with his shower, for a droplet of water slid down his cheek. Akashi followed the movement almost in a trance before Kuroko’s voice broke him out of the reverie.

“Ah, Akashi-kun. I did not expect your company again so soon.”

Akashi never grappled for words, but he did take a moment to remember the gifts in his arms. He crossed the room and set a stack of five books on the table beside Kuroko’s bed. The boy’s lips parted at the unexpected gesture.

“Ryota said you liked to read but that you did not find the provided novel interesting. Since renewing our arrangement, I thought you might like some reading more to your taste,” Akashi said.

“And you know my taste?” Kuroko questioned.

Their arms brushed as Kuroko moved closer to observe the titles. He picked up the first book reverently, and he kept his touch gentle as he flipped through the pages. Akashi watched him almost as carefully as Kuroko observed the words. He could smell the fruity scent of his shampoo.

“I guessed,” Akashi admitted.

“You guessed well,” Kuroko granted. He put the first book down and picked up the second. With careful touches he gave the book the same treatment as the first. “I will admit that I have read this one already, but I eagerly look forward to the others.”

“I hope your time here will be more enjoyable. I did not intend to make you suffer,” Akashi amended.

Kuroko finally tore his gaze away from the books, and when their eyes met, Akashi realized just how close they stood. The blue of his eyes outmatched any sky or ocean Akashi had ever seen, and his expressionless features drew him in.

“I think I realize that now. If I had been given the chance to save my parents, I, too, might have reached to such desperate measures. In a way I did,” Kuroko said.

Akashi could have acted surprised at the new information, but he thought such a façade would have been an insult to Kuroko’s intelligence. He had researched every aspect of Kuroko’s life, and the boy likely knew it. Instead, he bowed his head respectfully. “I am sorry for your loss.”

“I hope I can prevent yours,” Kuroko returned.

Such a selfless statement made Akashi furrow his eyebrows, but before he could comment, his cell phone rang from his pocket. Under different circumstances he might have ignored the call, but he recognized the tone as from his personal rather than his work. Only a select few possessed that particular number, and if one of them sought to contact him, Akashi did not dare procrastinate.

“I apologize,” he told Kuroko and then put his phone to his ear.

Kise’s voice immediately assaulted him, and Akashi fought the urge to hang up. As he listened to his frantic explanation, his eyes widened, and he froze in place.

“Where are you?” Akashi demanded.

Kise stuttered out a street just before his voice dissolved into illegible garbles. Kise’s end hung up before Akashi did.

“Is something wrong?”

Akashi almost forgot how close Kuroko stood, and when he turned his attention back to his current proximity, he realized that Kuroko watched him with concern.

“Yes,” Akashi confirmed. “Your friend, Kagami Taiga, has attacked Ryota and Daiki in the street.”

Kuroko’s eyes widened, and though he could not possibly understand the circumstances or the full situation, he only said, “Take me with you.”

“Yes, I suppose that would be for the best.”

…

Kuroko slipped on the running shoes included with the wardrobe Akashi sent, and he stayed at Akashi’s side as they took the elevator up to the ground floor. This time, they turned right, and Akashi led him to the bulk of the hospital. Patients, doctors, nurses, and family members used the halls like an interstate highway, and Kuroko realized how much Akashi risked by bringing him in clear sight of others. Then again, would anyone truly notice him, let alone as the patient who supposedly died from blood loss?

Either way, Kuroko refused to stay behind, and he guessed Akashi recognized that. As soon as he heard Kagami’s name from Akashi’s mouth, his heart pulled. Home called to him stronger than ever even if home only meant Kagami.

They did not stay in the hospital halls for long. Akashi took him through a staff wing which led to a parking garage directly connected to the hospital. Kuroko half-expected a limo with a driver and all to be waiting for them, but Akashi unlocked a black sports car and gestured for Kuroko to climb into the passenger seat.

The car zipped out of the garage and blended into Tokyo’s traffic with ease.

Once the shock wore away and Kuroko began to think of what they were doing, he cut his eyes over to Akashi with suspicion. He drove effortlessly despite other reckless vehicles, but even with most of his concentration on the road, he still felt Kuroko’s gaze.

“Is something wrong?” he prompted.

Kuroko turned back to the road ahead. The headlights offered most of the illumination since they set out in the dead of night.

“Why did Kagami-kun attack Aomine-kun and Kise-kun?” Kuroko asked.

Akashi raised an eyebrow though the expression only benefitted Kuroko when he glanced at him once again. “I am sure he is angry with the hospital for your death,” Akashi said as if he had expected Kuroko to work this out on his own.

“Yes, but how did he know Aomine-kun and Kise-kun were affiliated with the hospital? They did not care for me until after I was moved to the research department. And if you said they were attacked in the street, why were they there in the first place?” Kuroko asked. Even as he posed each question, the pieces already connected in Kuroko’s mind.

A memory came to him. Something he had forgotten until just now.

_“He doesn’t look so good, Aominecchi.”_

_“Shut up, idiot! We’re not supposed to use names.”_

_“I don’t think we have to worry about that. He’s already passing out.”_

Kuroko had already slipped halfway into oblivion when he heard the fleeting words, but he recalled them now with vivid detail. Another memory bloomed in his mind, this one an image. When Kuroko had accused Kise and Aomine of lying to him, they had tensed, and they had actually relaxed when Kuroko had brought up Kise’s supposed charity visits.

They had been scared that Kuroko had discovered something else, and now Kuroko thought he knew what that something had been.

“Aomine-kun and Kise-kun were the Vampires who attacked me. Kagami-kun sought them because he blames the Vampires for my death, not the hospital,” Kuroko realized.

The eerie green of a traffic light washed over him as the knowledge cast everything into a brand new shape. Mysteries surrounded that hospital indeed.

“I suppose that had been pointless to hide from you. I only did so out of respect for Ryota’s wishes,” Akashi acknowledged. After a moment, he glanced at Kuroko once again with mild admiration. “Still, it speaks for you that you discovered it without any outside help.”

Kuroko twisted in his seat to fully face Akashi. “Why?” he demanded. “Why would you do that? I almost died, and there is no telling how many others faced my position.”

“No one else had donated to the hospital moments before being attacked,” Akashi assured him.

“So you are in control of the Vampires then? Who else is involved besides Aomine-kun and Kise-kun?” Kuroko demanded.

Akashi pulled his car to a stop and shut off the engine. Kuroko had not realized when they left the bulk of traffic, but now that he focused on the scenery rather than his discoveries, he noticed that the lights of the city had given way to darkness. They parked on a desolate street, and Kuroko recognized it instantly. He had walked it many times in the past year, and it had been his last sight before he’d gone to the hospital and not come out.

“The Vampires consist of Atsushi, Ryota, and Daiki,” Akashi confirmed. “However, I believe the rest can wait until a later time. I would rather your friend not seriously maim my employees.”

As much as Kuroko wanted to demand more information, he recognized the practicality in Akashi’s words. He could ask questions later, but he knew Kagami’s wrath could be uncontainable when what he loved was endangered.

They both exited the car, and they immediately heard distant voices and muffled thuds. Kuroko met Akashi’s gaze, and they exchanged quick glances that spoke enough. They immediately fell into a quick pace in the direction of the noises.

Kise’s body came into view first. Unconscious and blood dripping from his nose, he lay on the cold pavement. His cell phone blinked just out of reach of his sprawled arms.

Kuroko lifted his gaze from Kise to the fight just ahead. He instantly recognized Kagami and Aomine though he almost struggled to differentiate between the two. He never noticed until now how they shared similar builds and even fighting styles. Still, Kuroko focused on Kagami’s sheer force of will while Aomine favored a wildness that the average human struggled to match.

A slight chink sound caught Kuroko’s attention, and he turned to see Akashi pulling a knife from seemingly nowhere. His eyes widened, and he muttered, “You will not need that.”

“Oh?” Akashi prompted, clearly unconvinced.

“Kagami-kun will listen to me.”

Kuroko did not wait for an answer before he broke into a sprint. His stamina had never measured up to any of the boys that used to challenge him on the basketball court, including Kagami, but Kuroko could manage short spurts of energy. He crossed the distance between them, and he slid to a stop just as Kagami pinned Aomine to the pavement.

“Stop!” he shouted. His voice nearly broke from rising to a pitch he almost never used. “Kagami-kun, it’s me! Please stop.”

Kagami froze with every muscle tensed. He released the front of Aomine’s shirt, and he let his fist fall to his side. When he finally stepped back, Aomine fell on his hands and coughed.

“Kuroko?” Kagami murmured, tentative. Almost as afraid as he was hopeful.

“Kagami-kun,” Kuroko confirmed.

A moment later, Kagami practically tackled Kuroko. Only the strength of his hug kept Kuroko upright, and once he recovered, Kuroko returned the embrace with equal feeling if not equal force. They breathed in each other’s presence and felt their health and beating hearts with the need to reassure themselves that this was real.

“I thought you were dead. They told me you were dead. I thought I had lost you.”

“I know,” Kuroko whispered into his ear. “I am sorry. I will explain everything to you.”

“Yeah, once I take you home. I’m never letting you out of my sight again,” Kagami huffed. The joke did not seem quite so light-hearted when Kagami tightened his hold around Kuroko’s waist.

Kuroko pulled back just enough to finally look at Kagami’s face. The sharpness of his features gave him a sense of familiarity and comfort, but the smear of blood across his cheek reminded him that they were not alone. Kuroko withdrew from Kagami’s hold completely and finally addressed Akashi. Aomine had already reached his side, and when they faced two against two like this, they almost seemed like enemies. Then Kuroko stepped forward and broke the illusion.

“Are you okay, Aomine-kun?” Kuroko asked.

Aomine answered with a string of curses, but Kuroko gathered that he would live.

“Kuroko, don’t you realize who these guys are? They’re the Vampires who attacked you,” Kagami exclaimed.

Aomine averted his eyes, but Kuroko continued to hold Akashi’s gaze. “Yes, I am fully aware now,” he said, a little more bitter than he intended. “Kagami-kun, the situation is more complicated than we first thought. May we go to your… May we go home?”

Kagami’s expression softened, and though he clearly wanted nothing more than to finish what he started with Aomine, he nodded. “Of course, Kuroko. Whatever you want.”

A moment later, a screech reached the heavens.

“I didn’t know you meant for them to come, too!”

…

Akashi never planned to visit the cheap apartment where Kuroko once stayed, but once the small boy made his demand, no one, no matter how much bigger or stronger, could refute him. Besides, Kise did require immediate first aid, so Akashi ordered Aomine to carry Kise to his car. Akashi demanded that Kuroko go with them as well, but Kagami refused to let Kuorko out of his sight. When Kuroko requested the chance to walk home with Kagami, Akashi levelled Kagami with a glare.

In the end they all piled into Akashi’s car, and even if the drive to Kagami’s apartment barely lasted three minutes, the tension nearly killed them all. Kagami could not seem to decide who to direct with his ire, and Kuroko touched him gently on the arm.

Even while Akashi operated the car, he noticed the natural way they interacted, and he grew annoyed.

They reached the apartment without incident however, and Kuroko even smiled a little at the prospect of visiting his old home. As they all waited outside the door, Kagami rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah, sorry, Kuroko, the place is kind of a mess. Since you’ve been gone, you know…”

The fierce warrior from the street suddenly looked lost, and Kuroko touched his arm. “It’s okay, Kagami-kun,” he assured him.

Kagami nodded and opened the door.

Akashi kept a neutral expression, for he knew that most did not live in the luxury that he did. His family had been lucky that they maintained most of their fortune in the face of the crisis while most fell to poverty. He understood how Midorima had sometimes gone days without food in order to finish his medical degree, and Aomine had fought and stolen just to survive. Even Kise had barely possessed enough money for clothes before Akashi had found him, and Murasakibara had been cast out on his own home since his family had not been able to afford to feed all their children.

So Akashi remained quiet when they squeezed into Kagami and Kuroko’s living room, littered with dirty plates and clothes left on the floor. Aomine, however, did not.

“Man, Tetsu, you lived in a dump,” he grunted.

Kise draped on his back, Aomine went straight to the couch and dropped the unconscious model on the cushions.

“Tetsu?” Kagami growled. After all, even with the closeness of their bond, he and Kuroko still referred to each other by their family names.

Kuroko gave him a look, and Kagami said nothing more on the matter. As Akashi watched them closer, he noticed how deep their respect ran. Neither one used power or manipulation to make sure the other did as he was told. They simply obeyed and accommodated because they cared for one another. How curious.

Was this what Kuroko had meant by their conversation earlier? Did Akashi already ruin their new relationship by insisting on the last word and a warning?

“Everyone may take a seat at the table. Kagami-kun, do we have the things for tea?” Kuroko inquired.

“Yeah, I think so… Are you finally going to explain what’s going on?” Kagami grumbled.

Kuroko nodded. “After tea. And once Kise receives some care.”

Kagami managed to find enough tea bags for them all though not everyone would partake of the same flavor. He set to boiling the water while Akashi and Aomine reluctantly took a chair at the kitchen table. Kuroko fetched a first aid kid and kneeled at his own couch to clean up Kise’s face. Akashi knew from first sight that Kise had been knocked unconscious but no permanent damage would linger. Still, Kuroko insisted on wrapping his head wound and making him comfortable. He even draped a blanket over his prone body.

When Kuroko joined them at the table, Kagami set a tray of mismatched teacups on the center and sat down beside Kuroko. Once again, they appeared at a draw with Aomine and Akashi on one side and Kuroko and Kagami on the other.

“Who the hell are you?” Kagami opened, pointing at Akashi. “And why was Kuroko with you when I was told that he was dead?”

Though Akashi admitted that Kagami had every right to be angry, he would not allow this sort of insolence. He glared at him in a way that he knew unsettled everyone within the vicinity, and even the great warrior out for blood backed down.

Only then did Akashi respond, “I asked Kuroko’s permission to keep him in my hospital while he helped with the care of one of my patients. He consented. Part of our agreement was that the rest of the world must believe he was dead.”

“The hell are you talking about?” Kagami growled.

Kuroko gently touched Kagami’s arm, and then he explained everything in quiet, calm words. As Kuroko told the story from Midorima informing of his change of rooms all the way to his and Akashi’s new agreement, Kagami’s expression twisted from shock to anger to resentment. He seemed to accept that Kuroko had not been truly harmed, but he still hated Akashi. That much was clear.

Once Kuroko finished, Kagami took a moment to process all the new information. Akashi was not surprised when he followed the story with “Then how do you know the Vampires?”

Kuroko turned his stare to Akashi, and while Aomine once again averted his gaze, gulping his tea in one swallow in the process, Akashi met his cool blue eyes. “I would like to know the same,” Kuroko prompted.

“I formed the Vampires for the sole purpose of finding someone with AB negative blood,” Akashi said, cold and unapologetic. “I was forbidden access to the blood stores of the hospital, so my Vampires were meant to find someone with type AB negative who had no affiliations with the hospital. The blood we took of other types went to Shintarou for experiments, but ultimately, the goal was always your blood.”

“Or someone’s like it,” Kuroko concluded.

Akashi did not nod, for he no longer knew if that was true.

“You don’t have to go along with any of this. No promises you made to him mean anything. We can leave right now if you want,” Kagami urged. The fire in his eyes clearly illustrated how much he wanted to swoop Kuroko up and take him away from Akashi and his men. Not that Akashi would ever let that happen at this point.

Kuroko shook his head. “I gave my word, and I do want to help his mother if I can. I believe my blood is going to a good cause. Besides you have a good life now, and if one of us fell sick-”

“Don’t even say that,” Kagami hissed.

“If one of us fell sick,” Kuroko insisted. “We have protection now.”

Kagami sighed, and judging by the way his shoulders slumped in resignation, he knew he could not argue with Kuroko on this. Switching tactics quickly, he addressed Akashi, “I want to see where he’s staying. I’ll go along with your crazy plan and pretend he’s still dead, but I want to see where you’re keeping him, and I want to see him often. I have to know you’re holding up your end of the deal.”

Akashi briefly thought of sending Kagami to his knees, but then he cut his eyes to Kuroko’s calm expression. He remembered the easy give and take relationship between him and Kagami even without power enforcement.

Controlling his dominating urges, Akashi forced a smile. “Of course,” he agreed. “It is late, but tomorrow, you are welcome to tour the hospital.”

Kuroko smiled, a small fleeting thing, and Akashi decided the inconvenience was worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I leave for my first year of college tomorrow, so I am not entirely sure when I will update again. But no worries! The next two chapters are written, and they just need edited, and my outline is almost complete.


	6. A Small Difference Between Love and Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagami meets everyone.
> 
> (Apologies for the wait. Updating is a little more complicated for me now.)

Akashi returned to the hospital that night, but Kuroko, Aomine, and Kise stayed with Kagami. Kuroko asked to spend one last night with Kagami in the home they built together, and while Akashi allowed this small condolence, he did not entirely trust Kagami not to take Kuroko away at the slightest chance. So Kise stayed unconscious on the couch, and Aomine lounged in the reclining chair.

Kuroko went back to his old room, and he noticed immediately how nothing had changed at all. Except for the thin layer of dust on the surfaces, this night could have been the one from so long ago when he merely planned to return home after his eleventh time giving blood.

Kuroko touched his temple and shook his head. What a strange thought. Despite the room’s appearance everything had changed since then.

Before Kuroko took another step forward, Kagami joined him.

“Are you sure about this?”

Kagami leaned in the doorway with his arms crossed, and while his muscles flexed in the tightness of his shirt, the twitch in his frown gave away his vulnerability. Kuroko sat down on his old bed, the mattress creaking beneath him, and he patted the space beside him. Kagami gave him a long look, but he eventually consented and sat beside him. They leaned back against the wall.

“No,” Kuroko admitted.

It was easier to voice the truth surrounded by the remnants of his life. When Kuroko had moved in with Kagami, he had possessed almost nothing at all. Now this room held a twin bed, a desk they had found in the landfill, and even a few books neatly stacked in the corner. Not to mention the basketball at the foot of the bed.

The hospital gave him a luxurious life he never knew, but Kuroko missed this place. The nostalgia twisted his stomach.

“Like I said, you don’t owe that creep anything. We can leave Tokyo if you want. Maybe go to Akita. I think housing is cheap there. Maybe. It’s really the only other place in Japan I know about because my friend in America used to live there.”

Kuroko lightly bumped Kagami’s shoulder with his own. “Don’t be an idiot. You have a nice job now, right? Akashi-kun promised he would get you one.”

“Yeah,” Kagami reluctantly grunted, bumping Kuroko back. “I like my job. And the rent is half now. We could be living it up if you came back.”

“Akashi-kun went above and beyond. But somehow, I doubt we could keep the privileges if I did not follow up with my end of the deal,” Kuroko pointed out.

“It’s just a job. We always managed just fine on our own.”

“I know, but I feel like I need to do this. I believe Akashi-kun’s mother is a person worth saving, and maybe once I do…” Kuroko turned his head and finally met Kagami’s eyes, practically glowing in the dim lighting. “Maybe once I do, we can move on from here.”

Kagami’s lips trembled as he struggled to form a smile. “You mean you will finally stop blaming yourself for being the one to survive? You’ll stop trying to kill yourself under the pretense of saving people?”

“Yes, maybe.”

Kagami wrapped his arm around Kuroko’s shoulders and held him close. Kuroko leaned against him and reveled in the warmth of someone familiar. Someone who loved him and cared for him. When Kagami finally pulled away and stood, he grinned. “Then maybe all this will do some good after all. But don’t think I’m going to give my full approval until I see what kind of conditions they’re making you live in.”

Kuroko smiled. “I would not expect any less.”

“Goodnight, Kuroko.”

“Goodnight, Kagami-kun.”

Kagami left his room, and Kuroko laid down on his bed. The outer blanket was actually another one of the few possessions he kept with him from his first home to his life on the streets to finally Kagami’s apartment. It smelled like ghosts. Then again, so did this whole room.

…

“KUROKOCCHI? KUROKOCCHI?! WHERE ARE YOU? WHERE AM I?”

“KISE SHUT THE HELL UP!”

“THIS IS MY HOUSE. YOU CAN BOTH SHUT THE HELL UP.”

After a bit of an unsteady start, the rest of the day went smoothly. Kuroko explained to Kise how they stayed the night in Kagami’s house and that Akashi agreed to let Kagami tour the hospital later. Kise seemed to think they were all a concussion-induced hallucination until they actually walked back to the hospital and Midorima gave him a full check-up and assured him that he was just fine.

While Kise whined to Midorima, Aomine and Kuroko introduced Kagami to Murasakibara. He spent most of his time in the research department’s kitchen. Aomine led the way since Kuroko knew almost as little about the full research floor as Kagami did.

Perhaps ironically, the kitchen resided across the hall from the lab.

“Please tell me you don’t mix up ingredients or anything,” Kagami said.

Aomine opened the door to the kitchen and gestured for Kuroko and Kagami to go inside. “Like we would,” he grunted. “Midorima triple-checks everything like the OCD freak he is, and no one knows food like Murasakibara.”

Murasakibara just pulled a pan of cupcakes out of the oven and set them on the counter before he turned and acknowledged his guests. “Mine-chin? Kuro-chin? Who’s this?”

“This is my friend, Kagami-kun. He is touring the hospital to make sure I am safe here,” Kuroko explained. Aomine was too busy creeping around Muraskibara in order to inspect the cupcakes.

“What? That’s stupid. Of course, Kuro-chin is safe here. Aka-chin won’t let anything happen to him,” Murasakibara drawled.

Kagami surveyed the giant cook from head to toe, and his eyes narrowed suspiciously. “So you’re a Vampire, too?” he challenged.

Murasakibara groaned, and Kuroko muffled a chuckle. He had heard Murasakibara complain about the more athletic side of his job before. “Only when Aka-chin makes me. Too much work. Mine-chin, if you take one of my cupcakes, I’ll crush you.”

Aomine jerked his hand back from where he reached to touch one of the desserts, and he glared at his comrade. “What are you talking about? It’s your job to make these for the whole floor.”

“I’m not finished with them yet,” Murasakibara whined.

“You should not eat things fresh from the oven anyway,” Kuroko scolded.

Aomine crossed his arms and pouted, but Murasakibara returned his attention to Kuroko. “Your friend is kind of scary looking, but if you come back later, the cupcakes will be ready.”

“Thank you, Murasakibara-kun.”

“Scary looking? That’s rich coming from a giant straight from a horror movie!”

“Eh? What did you say about me?”

“I said-”

Then Aomine shrieked as the piping hot cupcake scalded his skin, and Kuroko firmly suggested to his two idiots that they go introduce Kagami to Midorima now.

…

Midorima was not in his lab.

“You better not go in there,” Aomine warned when Kagami made to open the door anyway. “Midorima may seem all brains, but he has a pretty accurate punch when you mess with his work.”

Kagami lowered his hand with a glower.

“Where is Midorima-kun?” Kuroko asked.

Aomine shrugged. “I can take a guess. If he’s not in his lab, then he must be-”

…

“Kuroko! Long time, no see, buddy! Shin-chan here has just been telling me all that’s happened. Exciting stuff! You must be Kagami. Glad to meet you! We don’t get a lot of new faces around here, so this is the best thing to happen to me all week. Besides visiting the gardens with you, Kuroko. This is just shaping up to be a great week altogether!”

“Takao,” Midorima scolded, but his disapproval dissolved in the face of Takao’s blinding smile.

True to Aomine’s prediction, they found Midorima sitting at Takao’s bedside. Kuroko did not realize the room next to his was occupied by the other patient, for after they visited the gardens, Takao escorted him to his room before returning to his own. Kuroko briefly wondered if the third door housed Akashi’s mother, but then the antics of the others brought his attention back to his current situation.

“You,” Kagami accused, pointing to Midorima. “You’re the one who told me Kuroko was dead!”

Midorima sniffed and adjusted his glasses. “I only followed Akashi’s orders. If you have a problem, take it up with him.”

If you dare, everyone silently added.

“I think we can all look past the misunderstandings of before,” Kuroko prompted. “How are you feeling, Takao-kun?”

“Better than ever! You and Kagami should come visit me more. Since he’s going to be hanging around and you now have free range of the research department,” Takao said with a wink.

Kuroko smiled and nodded. Kagami rubbed the back of his neck, but when he realized how this Takao guy lightened Kuroko’s mood, he nodded as well. Any allies Kuroko had in this place that lacked ulterior motives pleased Kagami. Not to mention, no one could really hold ill will for Takao when he barely possessed the strength to lift his head from the pillow. Though he proclaimed otherwise, his skin was paler than normal, ghostly against his black hair.

“Perhaps we can visit the gardens again,” Kuroko suggested.

Takao beamed, and all in the room softened a little. His sense of humor supposedly grew annoying after a while, but no one ever seemed to really mind. Not even Midorima who complained the most.

“Hey, Midorima, where’s Kise? Didn’t you check him out?” Aomine asked.

“Yes, the idiot is fine. A hit on the head hardly makes a difference in his personality. He said something about returning to his room to sleep some more,” Midorima replied.

Aomine shook his head. “Idiot.”

“His room?” Kuroko questioned. “You live here?”

Midorima and Aomine exchanged glances before Aomine eventually responded, “We all have rooms here. Not like hospital rooms or anything. Just a normal bed and a bathroom and a closet. Akashi doesn’t make us live here or anything, but none of us really have anywhere else to go, so you know, free rent.”

“Does Akashi collect you?” Kagami sneered.

Midorima adjusted his glasses again while Takao hid snickers behind his hands. Aomine glowered, but he did not seem to deign Kagami’s comment worth an answer.

“Our relationship with Akashi is a partnership of give and take,” Midorima said.

Kagami snorted, “Sure it is.”

“Kagami-kun, would you like to see my room now?” Kuroko pointedly inquired.

Both Midorima and Aomine glared at him now though Takao looked like he was having the time of his life. Nevertheless, as much as Kuroko hated to deprive Takao of his entertainment, he would hate to have Kagami pick a fight in the hospital. Better to defuse the situation.

“Sure,” Kagami said.

…

Akashi watched them from afar. While Aomine escorted Kagami and Kuroko to Murasakibara and then Midorima and Takao, Akashi observed the interactions and the small gestures that most people missed. He took note of the tiny glances Kuroko and Kagami exchanged, and he wondered.

All this time, he thought he understood human nature. Self-interest guided and provided the most obvious motivation. Subtle manipulation and well-placed intimidation generally achieved any goal. The shadows made a good cover for most tasks. These were the rules he lived by, first placed in his mind by his father.

Yet Kuroko Tetsuya trampled through all his past experiences with an honest desire to help a stranger and a steadfast belief in his best friend.

How curious. And also a bit annoying.

Akashi returned to his office. Now that Kagami surveyed the hospital, he supposed he could allow him and Kuroko some private time. While there were security cameras in Kuroko’s room, Akashi did not employ them. Kagami would not attempt something in the middle of his domain, and he suspected Kuroko wanted some time with his pseudo brother. Akashi could give him that at least.

Besides there was plenty of work to be done.

Even with all his extracurricular activities, Akashi still needed to operate the research department. He never gave his father a chance to suspect them, so he regularly provided results from Mayuzumi’s and Reo’s research. While Midorima worked on a cure for ABO alone, Akashi used his other scientists as decoys for his father’s attention.

Akashi also made a point to give Midorima everything he required for his experiments. The two of them did have a bit of a give and take relationship as he proclaimed though they both knew who held the true power.

Midorima wanted a cure for ABO almost as much as Akashi did, and as long as Akashi provided the best care for Takao and all the tools Midorima needed, the young doctor would work ceaselessly for a solution. When he found one, and he would find one, both his mother and Takao would receive treatment at the same time. This was the nature of their deal, and both intended to achieve their goals even at the extent of using and being used.

Besides all that, Akashi divided his time and energy into one more slot. He met Momoi in university, and he immediately recognized the pink-haired girl as the genius she was. With a memory greater than a computer and eyes designed to pick out every detail, she quickly studied and practiced to be the greatest data analyst and hacker in all of Japan.

Not that anyone else knew. Both she and Akashi liked her obscurity, and so she worked under many pseudonyms. Only Akashi knew of her true identity.

She lived at the hospital as well, and Akashi gave her a room filled with every piece of equipment she could ever want. With her computers and quick fingers she possessed all the knowledge in the world if she only wished to reach out and retrieve it.

Though she mostly did freelance work, Akashi recently hired her for a special task, and Momoi delved into the challenge with fervor. The job began with a series of documents of his father’s scientists’ lab experiments. Momoi sent him the PDF files through several encryptions, but even after Akashi deciphered them, they were not enough.

Akashi was clever in his own right, but he never claimed to understand the workings of his own father’s mind.

_Tap, tap._

A light knock. Akashi rolled his chair to his desk and called, “Come in.”

Momoi entered his office and shut the door behind her. She smiled as she sat down across from him, and Akashi, not for the first time, thought that Momoi was probably his favorite employee. Efficient, polite, respectable. He never used intimidation on her because she didn’t need extra motivation to do her job. He doubted it would work on her anyway.

“Hello, Akashi-kun,” she greeted. She placed a file on the desk between them.

Akashi eyed the folder before he opened, “You asked to see me?”

Momoi nodded smartly. “Yes, in regard to that matter you wanted me to look into. I found something that I wanted to share in person rather than through encrypted files.”

“It must be important for you to leave your room,” Akashi acknowledged.

While Momoi enjoyed interacting with others, she did tend to become absorbed in her work. Some weeks she gossiped with Kise, watched (but never helped) Murasakibara cook, or handed scalpels to Midorima while he worked. Then sometimes she disappeared for days at a time when no one saw her at all except for Aomine.

Surprisingly, Aomine was the only one she let into her office, but Akashi supposed they did have a history as they grew up next door to each other. Besides, he knew Aomine just napped beside the computer monitors while Momoi focused on whatever she was doing at the moment.

Momoi shrugged, for she knew her habits as well as the rest of them. She had barely surfaced from her keyboards since Akashi first gave her the new assignment. “I guess it is a special occasion. Speaking of… Who is the tall, scary guy wandering around the floor?”

A wry smile quirked Akashi’s lips. “Which one?”

Momoi laughed, light and sparkling. “The new one,” she clarified. “Red hair, weird eyebrows. I saw him with Dai-chan, and then he was walking off by himself.”

Akashi furrowed his eyebrows in thought before he realized what Momoi must have seen. “Ah, yes. You recall that Kuroko Tetsuya is staying with us to provide blood for my mother? His friend, Kagami Taiga, wanted to see where Tetsuya is now living. Daiki was showing them around, but Tetsuya lead his friend back to his room alone. You must have missed him. He can be quite unnoticeable at times.”

“Oh, I see! He reminded me a lot of Dai-chan. He must care a lot about this Kuroko to insist on seeing the hospital,” Momoi mused.

“Yes,” Akashi agreed, carefully neutral. “He and Tetsuya share a close relationship. Not unlike you and Daiki.”

“Really? I need to meet this Kuroko and his friend. I’ve been shut up in my room so long that I almost forgot we have new faces among us. He probably doesn’t even know I exist,” Momoi giggled to herself.

“Probably not,” Akashi admitted. He did not originally intend to keep Kuroko in the dark, but he always operated under a need for secrecy. He sometimes forgot that open communication eliminated unnecessary issues.

It seemed that Akashi had forgotten many things about human beings lately. Had his mother been sick for so long?

Momoi tilted her head, her long pink hair falling across one shoulder, as she gave Akashi a long look. This was the only downside to Momoi as an employee. Unlike the others who viewed Akashi’s terrifying mismatched eyes and little else, she peered deeper and observed what Akashi did not always like to reveal.

“Akashi-kun, are you okay?” she asked gently.

Akashi glanced down to where he folded his hands on the desk and then promptly lifted his gaze. Those of the Akashi family did not back down.

“Of course,” Akashi dismissed. “Do not bother yourself with trivialities.”

“You do not like this Kagami, do you?” Momoi guessed. Those pink eyes saw far more than they should. Sometimes Akashi wondered if her ability was supernatural.

Akashi cleared his throat. “I find him obnoxious, and it amazes me that someone like Tetsuya tolerates him.”

“It amazes me that anyone tolerates Dai-chan at all, but the list of those who do miraculously keeps growing,” Momoi pointed out. “Relationships like that don’t make sense, but they don’t have to. A little respect and a little kindness goes a long way with this sort of thing.”

“Kindness?” Akashi repeated with skepticism.

Momoi nodded with the same seriousness and enthusiasm that she usually applied to firewalls and encrypted government documents. “Sure, humans can be selfish, but mostly, people just want to live with happiness and peace. Dai-chan and I don’t always get along, but we still care for each other, and if one of us needs help, the other will be there. It’s really that simple.”

Akashi saw the concept that Momoi described, but full understanding stood just outside his reach. Despising anything he did not completely grasp, he pointedly shifted his tone. “I believe you came here to tell me something?”

Most would have become flustered at his change in demeanor, but Momoi only smiled softly. She slid the file closer to Akashi’s side of the desk. Her expression sobered.

“Yes. I have been keeping an eye on your father’s movements as you asked, and something odd has happened. It is not unusual for your father to send and receive small packages to and from other countries. His research department, as you know, is valued for its products in the world, and he often orders foreign supplies. Recently, however, I came across an odd transport order.”

“What was it?” Akashi prompted, apprehension already wrapping around him like chains.

“Your father just sent a huge shipment to America. By boat, too. Planes are easier to track, so I don’t think he wanted any other parties knowing,” Momoi said.

Akashi raised his eyebrows, the only indication of his surprise. “Did the order include the destination?”

“Seattle, Washington. A lot of shipments by boat go there, but it’s still unusual for your father. If he sends things to America, it’s usually New York or Florida.”

“Do you have any idea what the shipment consisted of?”

Momoi shook her head. “From the weight and size measurements I know it was unusually big compared to your father’s habits. Also, he used a private ship rather than a transportation service. He was very careful.”

Akashi rubbed his bottom lip with his thumb. “What business would he have with Americans? We receive most of our medical supplies from the United Kingdom, and the Americans have their own research facilities.”

“Your research is more advanced,” Momoi pointed out.

“Even so, we have not created anything recently worth this amount of secrecy. At least my department hasn’t, but he does have his own scientists. That document you sent me included other experiments. I suppose it might be one of them…”

“What should we do?” Momoi asked.

Akashi waited a moment as he considered his options, but when he spoke, he was the picture of confidence and surety. “Continue to watch him for now. If anything else unusual takes place, contact me immediately. Whatever he is doing, he will make a mistake eventually.”

…

Kuroko spread out his arms as if he could gesture to everything from the bed to the table to the television set. “Welcome to my room.”

“It’s bigger than our apartment,” Kagami grunted. “Why can that creep provide for you better than I can?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Kuroko scolded. He led Kagami to sit in the reclining chair, and Kuroko hopped onto the bed. Rather than lay down, he faced his friend with his legs dangling off the side.

“The people here are pretty annoying, but you seem safe enough in this place,” Kagami admitted.

Kuroko nodded. Though he despised his circumstances only a few days ago, he already felt happier. Kise’s smiles and Aomine’s wry jokes seemed far more pleasing when he wasn’t strapped to the bed. Even Murasakibara’s and Midorima’s strange ways leaned more toward amusing than irritating now, and of course Takao always brought sunshine with him.

“But do you really trust that guy?” Kagami continued. He pinned Kuroko with one of his knowing looks, and the blue-eyed boy seriously considered the question.

“Akashi-kun does not think in the same way we do,” he answered slowly.

Kagami snorted. “That’s the understatement of the year.”

“However,” Kuroko continued. “I think he just doesn’t know how to deal with other humans very well. He has good intentions. He truly does want to save his mother. He is honest, too. While he kept things from me, he never lied to me, and he did hold up his side of the bargain.”

“That’s a pretty low standard, Kuroko,” Kagami pointed out.

“Perhaps you are right,” Kuroko admitted. “However, I think there is something worth saving here.”

When Kagami hesitated to answer, Kuroko continued, “Come on. Murasakibara-kun has probably finished the cupcakes by now. His are the best.”

A wide smile took over Kagami’s expression, and they walked close together when they left the room in favor of the kitchen.


	7. A Small Silence Between Lightning and Thunder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the chaos begins.

Kuroko offered his arm, and Midorima slid the needle into the juncture of his elbow with ease. Since these sessions took place every few days, they found a routine that was almost comfortable for both of them. Midorima started the machine, and once Kuroko grew used to the gentle pulling at his vein, they normally talked quietly at this time.

They did not always get along, but sometimes they discussed the books Akashi brought him. Kuroko learned that Midorima also liked to talk about his work whenever Kuroko asked about his experiments. Apparently, no one else cared about the specifics of his research – not surprising considering his peers were Murasakibara, Aomine, and Kise – so Midorima eagerly explained to Kuroko the denaturing of ABO blood cells and how he worked to find a way to return the blood cells to their original state.

Kuroko understood little of the science, but he liked the sparkle in Midorima’s green eyes when he discussed his passion.

Today, however, another conversation took place too loudly and too closely for Midorima and Kuroko to hold one of their own.

“You mean to tell me you played basketball in America?”

Kagami nodded as he flipped through one of Kuroko’s books idly and then replaced it on the bed next to Kuroko. The hospital bed was large enough for Kagami to lay down at Kuroko’s feet, so he often stretched on his back with his legs hanging over the sides.

While he and Aomine met under unfortunate circumstances, as Kagami spent more and more time in Kuroko’s room, they really had no choice but to come to some sort of agreement. At first they argued constantly, but Kuroko grew tired of such bickering. Just before Midorima rolled in his cart, he mentioned Kagami’s history with basketball, and predictably, Aomine leapt at the bait.

“That’s, like, the birthplace of basketball,” Aomine exclaimed. He voiced the statement as if he spoke of a religion rather than a sport.

Kagami grinned. “You bet. I learned on the streets, so we’re talking the original basketball.”

“You’re kidding! I learned on the streets, too. We have courts here in Japan if you know where to look,” Aomine said.

Midorima fiddled with his machine, but he caught Kuroko’s eyes. “Idiots,” he huffed for Kuroko’s ears alone.

Kuroko smiled softly. “Basketball idiots,” he agreed. Then again, Kuroko supposed he was a bit of a basketball idiot as well.

“Have you ever played?” Kuroko asked.

His eyes widened in surprise when Midorima nodded. Though he’d posed the question, Kuroko had expected a denial. He always assumed Midorima did nothing but work. Well, Kuroko mentally added, and collect lucky items. Kuroko only learned about that one once he talked Midorima into letting him see his lab though. To hear an admission of such a normal hobby shocked him.

Midorima shifted uncomfortably in the reclining chair at his bedside, and he fiddled with the machine again even though it continued to suck Kuroko’s blood just fine. “I required a scholarship in order to finish medical school, and the university I chose offered one in exchange for talented athletes.”

“You must be very good,” Kuroko awarded with genuine awe.

“I am a good shooter,” Midorima admitted, adjusting his glasses. “Takao played on the team as well. We attended the same university.”

“Is basketball how you met then?”

Midorima glanced down at his wrapped fingers uncomfortably. “Not exactly,” he admitted.

Before Kuroko could inquire more about Midorima and his partner, the other conversation in the room spiked in volume. Even the gentle hum of the machine disappeared in Aomine and Kagami’s shouting. Kuroko relaxed a little when he realized their exuberance came from mutual excitement rather than aggression.

“Your mentor played in the WNBA?!” Aomine gasped. While he had been casually leaning against the wall a moment ago, he now stood in the middle of the floor as if he could no longer bear to stay still.

Kagami sat up as he replied, “Yeah, Alex was the best. I found some of her old tapes, and no one could stop her on the court.”

“Why did she quit?”

“Her eyes started to fail, and the WNBA are crazy strict. As soon as she wasn’t the player they needed, they kicked her out,” Kagami said, his expression darkening. He clearly still hadn’t forgiven the team for treating Alex in such a way. “She was pretty bitter about it for a while, but once she started helping Tatsuya and me out, she got over it. She says we were better than therapy.”

Kuroko smiled as he noticed Aomine and even Midorima paying close attention to Kagami’s words. He had heard this story before, but he liked listening to Kagami tell of his childhood in America.

“Who’s Tatsuya?” Aomine prompted.

“Tatsuya was practically my brother. When I first moved to the US, I wasn’t very good at speaking English, and Tatsuya was the only guy in my neighborhood who knew Japanese. He used to live in Akita, you know? He played street ball, and he invited me to join his team. That’s where I learned the basics, and then Alex took Tatsuya and me under her wing and taught us even more.”

Aomine shook his head. “Man, why would you leave something like that?”

Kagami shrugged. “Dad was moving back to Japan, so I followed him. Not my fault he had to go back to America all of a sudden. Besides, Tatsuya isn’t even in Los Angeles anymore. He moved to somewhere in Washington, I think. New job.”

Before Kagami could sink too deeply into his memories, Aomine pulled him back with a wicked smirk, “I bet I could still kick your ass. Don’t get too cocky just because you learned street ball in America.”

“I kicked your ass on the street, didn’t I?” Kagami challenged.

Aomine dismissed the accusation with a flip of his hand. “That doesn’t count. Akashi told us we couldn’t hurt you, so I was holding back.”

Kagami growled, “Do you want to try again then?”

Kuroko started to step in before the conversation turned less than friendly, but Aomine beat him to it. “Let’s play a game then. One on one, eh? American street ball versus Japanese street ball.”

“You’re on,” Kagami agreed with perhaps the biggest smile Kuroko had seen in a very long time. The sight warmed his heart.

“Midorima-kun and I are playing, too,” Kuroko added. Midorima sputtered beside him.

Kagami and Aomine suddenly seemed to remember that they were both in the room and cast Kuroko twin smiles. Who knew it would only take basketball to bring such competitive spirits together?

“Ehhh? What are we talking about?”

Four pairs of eyes turned to the door as Murasakibara ducked in the room with a tray piled high with cookies. He appeared as disinterested as ever, but he refused to offer one of his baked goods until someone answered his question.

“Kuroko and Kagami want to take us on in basketball,” Aomine declared.

“Yeah? Then we should invite Ki-chin, too. He can copy anything,” Midorima concluded and then set the tray on Kuroko’s bedside table. Aomine and Kagami immediately took two in each hand, and Murasakibara pulled out a bag filled with snacks that he apparently made just for him.

Kuroko ignored the cookies in favor of catching the strings of the conversation. “Kise-kun plays as well?”

Murasakibara shrugged. “He would just have to watch a bit, and he could play. Ki-chin can copy anything. Aka-chin taught him how to model by taking him to a few shoots first.”

Kuroko raised his eyebrows, a great show of surprise for him. He had not expected such a skill from someone as air-headed as Kise. Apparently, he had underestimated all of his new companions.

“Hey, where is Kise?” Aomine drawled through a mouthful of crumbs. “Isn’t it about time for him to start harassing Tetsu?”

“He’s talking with Aka-chin,” Murasakibara answered.

“About what?” Aomine grunted.

Midorima huffed as he stood from his chair. “Some of us actually work around here, so I’m sure he is receiving instructions from Akashi,” he said harshly before turning to Kuroko. “And you. Eat a cookie. You need to replenish your nutrients after a donation.”

Kuroko grasped one with chocolate chips and caramel chunks with his free hand. While he might have protested under different circumstances, Midorima could be a bit scary in his protectiveness toward his patients. He understood his need to pamper Takao, but he somehow ended up wrapped in the flow of parental guidance as well.

Kagami surveyed Murasakibara during all this, and he questioned, “So do you play, too?”

Murasakibara nodded as if he considered the gesture alone too much work. “I know how. My old high school bribed me to join the team, but it’s too much work now.”

As he stuffed a handful of cookies into his mouth, Kagami and Aomine stared at him as he had admitted to a heinous crime. Perhaps in their minds, he had. Kuroko muffled a small laugh and then winced when Midorima pulled out the needle.

“You’re finished for today. I’ll insert the IV and increase your supplements. Eat another cookie,” Midorima instructed.

“You are a slave driver,” Kuroko complained.

However, as Midorima replaced the machine with the IV and the other three men in his room joked and bantered, Kuroko thought he rather liked this change of pace. Perhaps the situation was not ideal, but what would be in this messed up world corroded by the plague?

Kagami laughed until he snorted at something Aomine said, and Murasakibara even paused from his eating long enough to retort. Midorima stayed just long enough to huff another demeaning comment that somehow sounded more affectionate than rude before he rolled the cart out of the room, likely to visit Takao later.

It was comfortable. Kuroko just wondered how long it could last.

…

Akashi was beginning to wonder if he should just schedule appointments with Midorima and Murasakibara now. After his talks with Aomine and Momoi, now Kise texted for a private conversation as well. Akashi messaged back a time. They both already knew the place. Akashi practically lived in his office.

With an hour to work Akashi returned to the files that Momoi had given him, and he silently commended Momoi on her good work. The transportation orders appeared completely ordinary at first glance. The outer documents mentioned other ports as decoys, and Akashi only found the true destination – Seattle, Washington – once he meddled through all the official jargon.

Momoi was extremely thorough to not pass over this document without a second thought.

The hour went by quickly, and before Akashi felt like he made any progress, a knock sounded on his door. He called the customary welcome.

Kise slipped into the room and shut the door behind him, and Akashi immediately realized that this would not be a typical conversation with the blond. His jaw tensed, and his eyes did not quite meet Akashi’s when he sat down across from him.

“Is something wrong, Ryota?” Akashi inquired.

Kise shook his head. “I just returned from a conversation with… with your father.”

Akashi stiffened in his chair, and his eyes narrowed. “What business did you have with him?”

His tone must have cut too sharply because Kise winced. Akashi put an effort into relaxing his shoulders, so Kise might calm down as well. While any mention of his father put him on guard, he did not truly want to frighten Kise right now.

“I didn’t want to or anything. He summoned me, and since I’m officially his employee, I didn’t really have a choice. We met in his office.”

Akashi cursed himself for his own negligence. As Kise said, he was technically still under his father’s payroll instead of Akashi’s own. He made a point to hire Murasakibara, Aomine, and Midorima with his own authority, and he meant to transfer Kise to his command as well. Instead, he took Kise under his wing and assumed his father had forgotten about the one overly exuberant intern.

“What did my father discuss with you?”

“He reminded me of why he originally hired me,” Kise said, voice deadpan and eyes cloudy.

Akashi lifted a single eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

While Kise caught onto things easily, he was not a particularly brilliant nurse. He studied through an unorthodox program, so his contract required him to intern two years before he could even practice as a full-time employee. Rather than that actually take place, Akashi spotted his unusual knack for copying other’s skills and requested his assistance.

Kise agreed to the modeling and even the excursions for blood easily enough, and Akashi grew fond of him despite his tendency to get annoying after a while. He supposed Kise respected him as well since he remained under his employment.

Still, if his father did not know of Akashi’s true use for Kise, why would he care so much about one forgettable intern?

“I was pretty lucky to get this job,” Kise explained, eyes still downcast. “My family gave my older sisters all the money to go to school, so I didn’t get to go into any official programs or universities. Everything I know, I learned because I agreed to go into apprenticeships where I worked without pay.”

“Yes, I am aware of your situation. You could not become a registered nurse without two years of internship,” Akashi said.

“Yeah, well, nursing wasn’t the first thing I tried. I originally trained to be a pilot. A senpai of mine from high school, Yukio Kasamatsu, went to aviator school, and as a favor, he agreed to let me train under him. I caught on pretty quickly, and everyone at the school agreed that I could get my license if I tested, but you have to pay a lot of money for that exam. Senpai pulled every string he could with the authorities, but no matter what he did, I couldn’t get my license without the funds.”

Akashi tried not to look surprised at this revelation, but Kise made it more difficult when he looked up and absent-mindedly ran his hand through his hair, revealing his perfectly made-up eyes. Sometimes Akashi forgot that Kise possessed far more than a pretty face and a tendency to goof around.

“So that’s when I went into the nursing program,” Kise continued. “When I interviewed with your father a year ago, he wasn’t impressed with the program I used, but then he noticed the aviation experience on my resume. I couldn’t put that I had a license, but Senpai told me I could at least write that I had experience, so all that time wouldn’t be a total waste. Your father asked me a lot of questions about the aviation stuff, and he seemed to forget that the nursing program I used was so unconventional. He hired me.”

“And when he spoke with you today?” Akashi prompted.

Kise nodded. “He asked me if I still knew how to fly a plane. I told him I never forget those sorts of things, and he smiled. He told me to keep that in mind these next few days.”

Akashi folded his fingers together as he considered this new information, and the transportation orders came to mind. Was his father planning to leave Japan with his mysterious cargo? Why would he need an inexperienced pilot like Kise rather than an airline?

Suddenly, Akashi’s eyes widened as he realized what truly stood out to his father during that interview a year ago. Kise was unlicensed, and therefore, undetectable.

“Akashicchi,” Kise said, gaining his attention again. “Your father also asked me to keep this quiet. He, uh, threatened me a bit about it actually.”

Akashi clenched his fist, and he knew his expression darkened to dangerous proportions. “Don’t worry, Ryota. Whatever my father thinks, you are my employee, and I won’t let anything happen to you. I thank you for coming to me.”

Kise nodded, albeit a little shakily. He laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, no worries, Akashicchi. I know you look out for us. You trust us, and we trust you.”

“Yes,” Akashi agreed. While he seemed like a dictator from the outside, he provided for his comrades just as they provided for him. Though he forced them to put a lot of trust and faith in him, he also put the same amount in them. After all, they knew every detail of his almost silent rebellion against his father.

“You know,” Kise continued. “You should probably trust Kurokocchi a little bit, too.”

Akashi stiffened. “I do not see how this is relevant. Besides, I have already given Tetsuya an exponential amount of freedom.”

“Yeah, but you know what I mean,” Kise amended.

Akashi narrowed his eyes, and he made a point of rolling his chair back to his computer. “Thank you for your information, Ryota. Be sure to inform me immediately if my father contacts you again.”

Kise might have played the idiot a lot of the time, but he recognized a dismissal when he saw one. He left Akashi’s office before he ruined what small moment they had shared.

…

Kuroko always hated to say goodbye to Kagami, but his friend had an early shift tomorrow. Aomine escorted him out of the hospital through paths not generally used by the rest of the population, and Murasakibara returned to his domain in the kitchen. Kuroko idly picked up one of his books, and while he wanted to delve into the story, he hesitated.

As he told Kagami, he genuinely felt happier these days. Two weeks had passed since Kagami attacked Aomine and Kise, and though the turning point was rather unorthodox, the resulting equilibrium pleased them all.

However… Kuroko scolded himself for even thinking such spoiled thoughts, but he sometimes wondered about Akashi.

He almost never saw him. He understood that Akashi worked very hard to keep the research department running, and he did not doubt that Akashi still valued his presence. Still, Kuroko almost wished, deep deep down, that he could speak with the red-haired man more often. When they did converse under relaxed settings, Kuroko enjoyed it, and he just wished the circumstances could fall that way more often.

Just for a change of scenery, Kuroko moved from his bed to the reclining chair. He cracked the book open to his bookmark, and he sipped from the tea left over from his dinner, still warm and steamy. He suspected the cup had some sort of insulation.

He barely read a chapter before a voice interrupted the sword fighting scene taking place in his mind.

“You seem comfortable.”

Kuroko glanced up and then turned around to see Akashi standing in the doorway. He stepped forward and let the door shut behind him.

“Ah, I apologize. I suppose I interrupted your reading.”

Snapping the book closed, Kuroko quickly returned it to his bedside table. “It is fine. I was only passing the time,” Kuroko admitted.

Think of the devil… and he appears.

Not that Kuroko truly considered Akashi a devil anymore.

Akashi drew closer, and to Kuroko’s surprise, he sat on the bed. He kept his legs folded over on the side, but the casual gesture along with how close this brought them, shocked Kuroko. This switch in their positions felt strange, but Kuroko did like having a clearer view of Akashi’s face. Not to mention a better position of power.

“I see. If there is something else you would like, I could arrange for it. Movies or games,” Akashi offered. “I actually came by to see if there was anything you wanted, considering our new arrangement.”

Kuroko shook his head. “No, I did not mean to complain. I’m enjoying myself, and I like the books. I only meant that you were not interrupting me of anything important.”

Akashi smiled softly, such a beautiful gesture when not twisted into a double meaning, and Kuroko found himself smiling in return. The slightly awkward exchange felt wonderfully normal between them considering how their earlier conversations went.

“You seem to be getting along well with the others,” Akashi noted after a moment of silence.

Kuroko nodded. “Though they can be a bit… overwhelming at times-”

“And idiotic,” Akashi inserted.

Kuroko smiled again, small and fleeting, before he continued, “They are very kind to me, and I appreciate that. Kagami-kun is starting to like them more, too.”

Akashi’s expression tensed at that, and though Kuroko noticed, he did not comment. While he was truthful when he said that Kagami held fonder feelings toward the others now, it was no secret that he still did not trust or like Akashi. Kuroko suspected Akashi felt much the same. While he wished they could reach an understanding, Kuroko doubted he could do anything to sway the minds of two stubborn individuals.

“Though I did want to inquire about how you are doing, I also had another goal in mind,” Akashi admitted. He shifted his position on the bed to fold his hands on his lap.

“And what is that?” Kuroko asked.

“Are you doing anything tomorrow?” Akashi questioned instead.

A wry grin made the corner of Kuroko’s mouth twitch. Akashi knew very well his schedule and that he hardly had any responsibility except living as a glorified blood bank, not that he minded anymore. “Midorima-kun took a unit today, so he will not need me for a few days. I believe I can postpone finishing this book to spend some time with you,” he said.

Akashi’s eyes sparkled in silent acknowledgement of Kuroko’s cheek. “I am grateful for your sacrifice,” he teased, his tone almost too level for another to realize the intended joke. However, since Kuroko’s sense of humor was so similar, he understood Akashi’s gesture and smiled.

“In that case,” Akashi continued. “Tomorrow morning, would you like to meet my mother?”

…

When Kise found him, Kuroko stood in front of his closet. He still kept the same serious expression, but now his focus was directed on the selection of shirts and trousers that Akashi provided for him. His blue hair still fell damp from his recent shower, and Kise detected the slight hint of cologne.

“Kise-kun, if you try to hug me right now, I have no choice but to call for Aomine-kun,” Kuroko warned without pulling his gaze from the closet.

“Kurokocchi, you wound me,” Kise whined even as he moved closer. Kuroko tensed and tightened his grip on the towel around his waist, but Kise only leaned forward to inspect the clothing options for himself. “I think you should wear the blue cardigan. It will bring out your eyes.”

Kuroko regarded Kise as one measured up a possibly poisonous snake, but Kise ignored the distrust in favor of picking a white collared shirt as well. “Wear this underneath,” he decided.

Still clutching the towel with one hand, Kuroko took the offered hangers. Kise watched as his eyes clouded with thought, likely debating how much he wanted to trust Kise in this, and he finally reached a conclusion.

“Kise-kun, which pair of pants should I choose?”

Kise beamed at this task Kuroko bestowed upon him, and a half hour later, Kuroko wore black jeans, simple black shoes, the collared shirt, and the pastel blue cardigan. Kise even helped him style his hair a bit though the effect looked only marginally less wild than normal. Nevertheless, when Kise finished, he deemed Kuroko a knockout.

“Not that you’re not usually,” Kise added hastily.

Kuroko waved the comment away. “I wonder what Akashi-san will think,” he murmured.

Kise suspected the inquiry was more self-directed, but he still assured him, “You’re already giving her your blood. You don’t really need to impress her any more than that.”

Kuroko did not answer but instead fiddled with the hem of his cardigan.

Kise could fill in the blanks himself. Kuroko who normally never bothered with the vanity of appearance would not fix himself up to impress a random business woman alone. He inwardly amused himself that Kuroko fussed like someone about to meet his date’s parents, but he sensed that thought was a bit too dangerous to voice aloud. He patted Kuroko on the back instead.

“Don’t make too many assumptions before you meet her. Besides who wouldn’t love you?” Kise cheered.

“Kise-kun, not so rough,” Kuroko scolded.

Kise laughed lightly and rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry about that. Are you ready to go? Akashicchi told me to bring you to his mom’s room when you were ready.”

“Yes, I apologize. I did not realize we were on a schedule.”

“Don’t worry, we’re not late or anything!” Kise assured him, waving his hands. “He really did mean whenever you were ready.”

“Well, then I am ready,” Kuroko prompted.

“Oh, okay, let’s go!”

Kise opened the door for Kuroko, and they both left the room. It struck Kise as a little funny that they made so much fuss only to stop in front of the door right next to Kuroko’s. Akashi already waited for them in a deep red collared shirt with long sleeves and black slacks. His eyes quickly took in every detail of Kuroko, and Kise instantly knew he made the right choice in wardrobe. Kuroko seemed to realize the same, for he averted his eyes.

Akashi then turned to Kise, and he read the situation quite clearly.

“Well, I guess I better be going. Plenty of work to do and all. I’ll see you guys later!” Kise farewelled, already walking away.

“Thank you for your help this morning, Kise-kun,” Kuroko said, all earnestness.

“No problem, Kurokocchi! See you!”

Just before Kise turned the corner, he noticed Akashi and Kuroko meet eyes and smile.

…

“Thank you for meeting with me today. You look very nice,” Akashi greeted once they were alone.

Kuroko knew he did not blush, for he never blushed, but his skin did feel a little warmer. “Thank you. Akashi-kun cleans up well.”

“I do not always look immaculate?”

Kuroko smiled softly, and Akashi indulged him. They lingered by the door, and the energy between them pulsed with words unspoken. When the silence lasted too long, Akashi reached for the doorknob. “I suppose I initiated this endeavor, so I should follow through. We should not keep her waiting.”

Kuroko nodded, and he imagined the woman who faced the scrutiny of boards of officials when she ordered the gardens built. In his mind Shiori looked like a older female version of Akashi with mismatched eyes that spit fire. She likely stood at tall as a Greek goddess and commanded the same amount of attention and authority.

However, when Akashi opened the door and lead him inside, Kuroko quickly reevaluated his image.

Shiori lay in a bed identical to his own and Takao’s, and her red hair, a shade duller than Akashi’s, fell down one shoulder in limp strands. Her skin clung to the bones of her face and hands, and Kuroko quickly recognized her state as one very near the end of ABO’s cycle. However, when she smiled, her beauty shone even through the wreckage of her body.

“Seijuro,” she greeted warmly, the name a gesture of affection from her lips. “And you must be Kuroko. Please sit. I am very pleased to see you both.”

When Kuroko glanced at Akashi for guidance, he nodded and gestured to two chairs by Shiori’s bedside. Akashi sat the closest, but they both heard and saw her clearly. Akashi reached out and cupped her fragile hand.

This close, Kuroko wondered if his blood treatments helped her at all. Her breathing came shallow and thin, and her lips quivered.

“Hello, mother. How are you feeling today?” Akashi said.

“Very good, dear, very good, but enough of formalities,” she dismissed warmly, and Kuroko caught a glimpse of who must have raised Akashi with love and care. Her eyes glowed a gentle gold, and she watched Akashi how only a mother could. Kuroko’s heart ached with a sudden pain. “Tell me of your life since I last saw you, and not the work.”

Akashi gave Kuroko a somewhat apologetic look, but he did not deny his mother’s request. Kuroko suspected this was something of a ritual in their visits.

“Tetsuya and I left the hospital to meet his friend in the apartment district. I spent some time with Daiki, Satsuki, and Ryota,” Akashi told her.

Kuroko wryly thought that Akashi’s spin on the events was certainly far from how Kagami would describe that particular adventure, but surprisingly, he saw a similar reaction in Shiori.

“You cannot fool me, son. I know you do nothing but work. When is the last time you took an hour for yourself?”

Akashi sighed, and Kuroko muffled a laugh, for he looked like a scolded child. Was this truly the man who terrified him into a shady deal during their first meeting? His appearance had not changed, but Kuroko almost didn’t recognize him.

“I have responsibilities, Mother,” Akashi reminded her.

“You will have responsibilities your entire life, but that does not mean you should neglect yourself. And I fear I am your greatest responsibility and burden,” Shiori sighed.

“Mother, you are not-”

Shiori squeezed his hand firmly, and Akashi quieted. Kuroko never thought he would see the day in which someone silenced Akashi Seijuro with only a gesture. When Shiori turned those golden eyes to him, he tensed in anticipation.

“Kuroko Tetsuya, can you keep my son from working so much?” she asked.

“I am not sure anyone could achieve that,” Kuroko admitted.

Shiori smiled in amusement while Akashi lifted a single eyebrow. “Another day, I might have agreed with you. However, I think that if anyone could, it would be you, Kuroko-kun,” Shiori granted.

Before Kuroko could manage a reaction to such an assumption, Shiori continued, “But perhaps I ask too much. I already owe you a great deal. I know you make a grand sacrifice for me, and I am thankful.”

Kuroko wondered if she realized the full extent of the arrangement between the three of them. He somehow doubted that Akashi revealed the details of his kidnapping and manipulation, but Shiori’s eyes shone as if she knew exactly what Kuroko offered. Then again, she did raise Akashi. Perhaps she knew her son’s ways better than anyone.

“Tell me about your family, Kuroko. Are they worried about you?” Shiori inquired.

Kuroko glanced at Akashi, but he saw no plausible reason to deny her question. “None of my family lives, Akashi-san. My friend, Kagami-kun, is all I have left.”

Shiori does not look surprised. “I am sorry for your loss. Recently?” she prompted.

“My mother was a surgeon for a different hospital, and my grandmother was very old. My father often gave blood when the disease spread across Japan. They all… they all fell to ABO.” Kuroko briefly wondered if he should admit such a thing to a patient with the disease, but he supposed no one knew the risk better than her.

Shiori nodded slowly. “It is difficult to be alone in a world such as this.”

Kuroko could not agree more.

“I am very sick,” Shiori said suddenly. When Akashi visibly flinched, she squeezed his hand but still pressed through. “I grow weaker every day, so perhaps you will both offer me this indulgence. I do not want to leave you in this world alone, Seijuro. My husband is many things, but loving and attentive is not among them.”

“Mother,” Akashi murmured. Shiori rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb.

“I know, dear, but please listen to me. I believe, Kuroko-kun, that you are a special person and that you were meant to be in our lives. However,” Shiori admitted. “Perhaps not to save me.”

“Mother,” Akashi repeated, this time firmer.

“I am sorry, my love, but now is not a time to dance around tender feelings. I am afraid that I… I can feel…” Shiori clutched at her heart with her other hand, the cord of the IV wavering in the air. Her breathing quickened.

Kuroko tensed and made to stand to fetch some help, but Akashi’s voice, edged with panic, stilled him. “Mother! Mother, are you okay?”

Shiori took three deep breaths, and by sheer force of will, made her body relax and her breathing slow. A little flustered, she panted, “I am fine. Calm down. I am fine.”

“Are you sure?” Akashi persisted.

Shiori nodded.

“Shintarou is in his lab. I can have him here in less than a minute.”

“Seijuro, honey, let me finish.”

When Shiori spoke so softly, neither boy could refute her. She settled back into the pillows, impossibly paler than even before, and she sighed. “I am proud of what I have done in this life. I like to think I have shed some beauty in this dark world.”

Kuroko thought of the gardens and silently agreed. Then he thought of Akashi, harsh and cruel at times and yet so gentle at others. Seeing mother and son together now, he knew where each respective trait originated.

“Though I do have my regrets. Seijuro, I wish I could have better sheltered you from the burdens you inherited.”

“Mother, we do not need to speak of this now.”

“No, Seijuro, I believe we do.” Kuroko watched as she slowly flicked her pensive gaze between them. “Kuroko-kun, I am sorry this is only our first meeting, but I hope you can take something away with you. Loneliness is not the worst thing that can happen to a human, nor is it a good excuse to settle for a toxic presence. However, when you find the person that makes you feel like something more, it is rather foolish to lose them, don’t you think?”

Kuroko’s lips parted as Shiori’s words sunk into his heart. “Yes, Akashi-san. I believe you are correct.”

Shiori smiled only for the expression to twist in pain. “Seijuro,” she gasped. “Call for Midorima.”

Akashi practically leapt from his seat, and a moment later, Midorima marched into the room. While Shiori’s breathing rapidly increased, he checked her monitor and quickly adjusted a few knobs. Shiori seemed to age decades before their eyes.

Kuroko lingered in the back to give Midorima room to work, but this also gave him a view of all participants in this act. As Shiori deteriorated and Midorima frantically grappled for a solution, Akashi watched as if this was his worst nightmare come to life. Kuroko had never seen such despair on another face before, not since he glanced at a mirror on the night he lost everything.

He quietly slipped his fingers into Akashi’s hand and squeezed. Though his presence surprised him, Akashi looked at Kuroko gratefully.

At least until Midorima joined their small gathering.

“Akashi, she’s reached critical condition,” he said.

Akashi inhaled sharply, and he unintentionally squeezed Kuroko’s hand. “What can we do?” he demanded.

Though he asked, they all - even Kuroko - knew the only option. Once a patient with ABO reached critical condition, only one operation could possibly save them, and it was a highly risky and difficult procedure. Patients often died during the surgery, and it was not always possible to perform anyway. After all, the operation was essentially a full blood transfusion.

The average human contained four pints of blood in their body at any time, and once ABO corroded every last blood cell in the critical stage, the last resort was to replace all the ruined blood with four fresh units. Acquiring four pints of blood was a feat in itself, especially for someone with Shiori’s rare type.

And that did not even include the procedure itself.

Kuroko knew the risks. Who didn’t? When the crisis hit Japan, terror-inducing propaganda littered television, radio, and newspapers. Nevertheless, the next words left Kuroko’s lips as easy as breathing.

“You can use me,” Kuroko said.

Midorima and Akashi both stared at him with varying expressions of crazed disbelief. “What?” Midorima said.

“If you’re going to do a full blood transfusion, you will need my blood. I give you permission to take all that you need,” Kuroko clarified.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Midorima snapped. “If I took that much blood from you, I would kill you.”

“You took a pint from me yesterday, didn’t you? If you used that, you would only need to take three from me now. As long as I am hooked up to machines and continuously given nutrients and fluids, I could potentially survive,” Kuroko reasoned.

“And you’re okay with that? Potential survival?”

Kuroko expected that question to be directed at him, but instead, Midorima faced Akashi. The doctor’s fierce expression demanded an answer, but Akashi darkened in his thoughts. A clear battle took place in his mind as he weighed his mother’s only chance with Kuroko’s probable death, especially when the surgery guaranteed Shiori nothing.

“Akashi-kun, it’s okay,” Kuroko assured him. “I give my consent. I want to save her, too.”

“You could die,” Akashi argued.

Shiori gasped behind them, and when they turned to look at her, she shut her eyes in clear agony. Midorima left them to adjust her morphine drip to offer her some relief. Now that they were in semi-privacy, Kuroko tugged on his hand to regain Akashi’s attention.

“If we don’t, she will die,” Kuroko said.

“How can you barter your own life like that?” Akashi demanded, almost sounding angry. His composure broke like cracks in a vase, and Kuroko briefly wondered what it would take to shatter him completely.

“We made an agreement. You held up your end of the bargain. It’s my turn to do my part.”

“I also promised to keep you safe as long as you stayed in the hospital.”

The corner of Kuroko’s lips lifted in a half smile. “Then make sure Midorima does his job properly.”

Akashi’s jaw tensed, and Kuroko knew he had won. Perhaps he had won a long time ago. When Midorima returned to them, Akashi ordered, “Prepare them both for operation. Do everything in your power to make sure they both live through this.”

Midorima nodded like a soldier going to battle, and that’s when the true chaos began.


	8. A Rigid Crack Between Peace and Chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a lot more is going on than Akashi originally suspected.

Akashi realized the risks, and his stomach twisted in response. Part of him wanted to prevent this whole situation, order Kuroko back to his room, find a different solution. Then the logicality inside him took control, and he knew this was his only option to save his mother. So he watched as Murasakibara rolled in another hospital bed.

Kuroko amiably laid down, and Midorima hooked him up to his machines. Aomine and Kise joined them, and while they both shot Akashi dirty looks, he mercifully ignored them. He did not like Kuroko’s position either, but his mother’s fading gasps reminded him of why he must do this.

Besides, Kuroko volunteered.

That impossibly selfless boy sacrificed himself.

Midorima hooked Kuroko up to a monitor to keep track of his vitals and then connected him to an IV that would supply him with a steady stream of life-supporting fluids. His body was already well-hydrated and healthily fed due to Midorima’s strict diet here at the hospital, so Kuroko was actually in ideal form for the surgery. If he was going to survive giving three units of blood, now was the time.

When Midorima left to fetch the unit he gained from Kuroko yesterday, Aomine and Kise took the opportunity to swarm around Kuroko.

“Yo, Tetsu, you don’t have to do this,” Aomine muttered.

“Yeah, you can still back out!” Kise echoed.

Kuroko shook his head and offered them both a small smile. “Don’t worry. I want to do this.”

Akashi wandered to his mother’s side and noted the strain in her face. Though only a monitor separated the two beds, it felt like far more. Kuroko offered hope and assurance to his friends. Akashi only felt despair as he watched his mother’s closed eyes twitch with the pain.

He loved her so much. He only ever wanted her safe.

He wanted to protect her as she had protected him.

Midorima returned with the blood bag and a kit full of tools that only he could identify. Once he made sure both his patients were as prepared as possible, Midorima ordered Murasakibara, Aomine, and Kise to leave. They each offered Kuroko small words of encouragement and gentle touches on his head or arm before they finally slipped out the door.

“You can stay if you want, Akashi, but I will need to concentrate,” Midorima said.

“Will you give them both general anesthesia?” Akashi inquired.

Midorima nodded. “They will be completely unaware and feel no discomfort or pain,” he assured him.

“Then I will leave. I have some business to attend to. Send one of the others for me when the surgery is complete.”

“Understood.”

Akashi hesitated before he turned around. His mother already slipped into a shallow sleep due to the strain of critical condition, and nothing he said to her would reach her. He wanted to offer something to Kuroko - a threat to survive, a token of gratitude? - but when he glanced his way, the other’s expression was broken with hurt. Now why was that?

Unable to comprehend, and uncomfortable with the feelings in his heart, Akashi left the room. He did not realize until halfway down the hall that his last words had sounded callous. He had not meant to seem uncaring. He only wanted to… Well, he supposed that did not matter now.

Whether he wanted to or not, it was time to visit his father.

When his father forbade Akashi from using the hospital’s resources to help his mother, he almost completely cut off contact with him. Not that this was difficult. The senior Akashi spent all his time at the hospital but in the above floors where the business took place. He actually still thought his wife was in the Akashi manor though the younger Akashi moved his mother to the research department months ago.

Akashi grew quite adept at working around the system, and he found his solution to finding type AB negative blood for his mother’s treatment. Besides that, he gave Midorima all the resources he needed to find a more permanent cure. All the while running the actual research department.

His father did not suspect a thing.

However, now things were different. Shiori was in surgery, and if the operation succeeded, she would have several more months to live. If the procedure failed… Well, that spoke for itself.

Either way, his father should know. Akashi did not necessarily want to confront his father, especially after all he had learned recently. According to Momoi, he was sending suspicious cargo to America, and after Kise’s testimony, Akashi knew he likely planned to secretly leave the country soon. All that added to the research documents Akashi had been studying lately…

Akashi did not entirely know what to conclude, but at least for now, he was willing to set all that aside. Shiori was in danger, and as husband and son, they should band together for her. Shiori would want that.

Akashi passed the others on his way to the elevator. Kise nervously tapped his fingers at his desk, and Aomine lounged in the three chairs next to him, a different body part in each one. Murasakibara ate with twice the speed.

Though Kuroko had been in their lives for a relatively short time, he had wiggled his way into all their hearts. Akashi had never seen the three of them - all so strong, so outwardly robust - act so small and frightened before. Then again, he understood. Akashi felt something similar deep in the pit of his stomach.

None of them look at Akashi as he passed, and he took the elevator to the fifth floor. Once he reached his destination, he turned left toward his father’s office. He knocked.

His heart beat noticeably hard as he waited for the customary invitation.

“You may enter.”

Akashi stepped through the door as so many entered his own office during the past few weeks. Only this time, his father waited from behind his desk, his strong hands folded in waiting. His dull red eyes regarded him critically, and his thin lips twisted into a sneer.

“I did not expect to see you here. Take a seat,” his father ordered.

Akashi entered the office, but he remained standing. “I have some things to tell you.”

His father lifted a single disapproving eyebrow. If possible, his expression twisted with even more disgust. “Oh?” he prompted.

“I have been treating mother with blood that I obtained myself. Ten months now, I have treated her, but I only found a consistent donor a month ago. Nevertheless, I have given her every care I could.”

“I told you,” his father growled. “I told you not to show bias. I warned you what sentimentality could do to an Akashi.”

“Yes,” Akashi agreed. “You did. But this is not all I came to say. I only contact you now because Mother is in surgery. A full blood transfusion. The procedure is critical. It if succeeds, her life would extend exponentially. If it fails-”

“No!”

Akashi’s words suddenly left him. While he expected protests and anger from his father, this sudden outburst surprised him. When he looked up to meet his father’s eyes, he saw panic and crazed fury. An insanity that did not belong in someone as cool and collected as his father.

“No, you were supposed to stay out of this!” he roared.

“I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing,” Akashi insisted.

“You don’t understand,” his father cursed, fire in his eyes. “Shiori was supposed to die.”

Akashi grappled for understanding, a sensation he normally avoided at all costs. He never asked for repetitions or clarifications because he always caught every detail the first time. Now however, as he watched his father’s face twist into unadulterated rage, his lips parted with shock. Comprehension darted from his fingertips.

“Mother was supposed to…?” Akashi could not bring himself to finish.

“Her life was payment. And now you have ruined that,” his father hissed.

“What do you mean?” Akashi demanded. He might not understand the situation, but he refused to become a victim here. He wanted answers, and he would retrieve them. “Do not lie to me. Does this have to do with what you sent the Americans?”

The simple question seemed to cast a sheet over the room. His father froze, and the temperature between them seemed to dip ten degrees. Akashi slowly stepped forward and drew himself up to full height, as limited as that was.

“What are you doing in this hospital? For what could my mother’s life have possibly paid?” Akashi said, remarkably cold.

His father grimaced, but when he lifted his head to meet Akashi’s gaze, he had regained his calm persona. “ABO,” he replied simply. “I believe that is what the common people have named it.”

“And what did you name it?” Akashi demanded through gritted teeth.

“My golden ticket to greater things.”

Akashi inhaled sharply. “Father, ABO has killed one eighth of Japan’s population, and more people are still sick. What are you implying?”

“I’m stating plainly that I ordered my scientists to create a strain for a deadly disease within this very hospital.”

His face remained impassive as he admitted to coldblooded murder. His fingers did not even twitch as they folded calmly on his desk. Akashi leaned forward and grasped the back of the chair that normally hosted his father’s visitors, but now it acted as support while Akashi momentarily felt the breath leave his body.

“I knew you were doing something. I tracked your movements for months, but I never expected this,” Akashi gasped. “Why would you do this? Why attack your own country?”

“What makes this my country?” his father dismissed. “Because I was born here? I thought I raised you better than this. Even after all this time, you still think too small. I am one of the richest men in Japan, but what is that compared to the rest of the world? There is far more out there to explore and conquer.”

“And how does killing people help you explore and conquer?” Akashi snarled and inwardly cursed himself. Losing control of his emotions would not aid him in a battle with his father. He needed to regain his neutrality as difficult as that was when his mother and Kuroko currently slept under the scalpel.

His mother. Kuroko. Neither one would be in danger if it wasn’t for the man before him. His father forced his hand. He forced the hands of everyone in Japan.

Yet the demon of a man remained painfully devoid of remorse. “I promised the United States a weapon that could take out an entire country at a time, and I delivered. When they expressed skepticism, I volunteered to prove that my weapon worked far better than any of the others offered to them. So I released the virus into a few patients at a time in the hospital. It spread with a quickness even I could not predict, but it convinced America.

“I sent them the first shipment of what has now been dubbed ABO. As soon as it arrives, they will wire a certain sum of money into my bank account, and then I will be leaving Japan. I hoped you would come with me.”

“And what about Mother?” Akashi said. “Did you plan to leave her here? The price you paid?”

Finally, his father’s lips twitched with annoyance, and he slowly stood from his desk. He was a bit taller than Akashi, and the difference showed when he glowered down at his son with such utter disgust.

“Even I realize the sins I have committed. I condemned my home country to death, so it is only justice that I sacrifice something as well. I truly love Shiori with all my heart, and so she is my penance. Her death is the ransom for my sin,” he said.

Akashi clutched the back of the chair all the tighter, holding himself in one place as wave after wave of anger and hate crashed over him. He wanted to lash out and put his father in his place. He always resented his father. The unreasonable expectations, the constant disapproval. But this was different. His father destroyed an entire culture without a second thought, and he somehow perceived sacrificing another life for such ambitions as justice?

“If you wanted me to come with you, when did you plan on telling me?” Akashi said, his voice eerily calm.

“I hoped you would have matured more by then. I thought a simple explanation for my reasoning and future goals would convince you of the rationality in my decision,” his father huffed.

Akashi lifted his gaze from the chair and met his father’s gaze with shining mismatched eyes. Under the full authority of such a glare, even the taller man seemed to hesitate for a moment.

“You are not leaving Japan,” Akashi said like a god passing down judgment. “You are staying here to live in your own mistakes. I know you planned to use Ryota to escape like a king stealing away as soon as his castle is attacked, but I am not allowing it. Rather, I will be taking your plane, and I will find a cure to rectify the wrong that you created.”

His father’s eyes flashed with a danger almost to rival his own. “I thought you better than this,” he snarled at his son. “I thought I raised you better, but you are just like your mother. Weak-”

The word cut off in a strangled gasp as Akashi reached for the first weapon he saw - a pair of scissors on his father’s desk - and lunged forward. Thoughts fled his mind as adrenaline flooded his veins, and the only image in his mind was one of his father’s blood painting the floor. He practically yearned for the slide of the blade against flesh, but then a strong hand clasped around his wrist.

“Aka-chin,” Murasakibara drawled with his usual relaxed laziness. “Mido-chin needs you.”

The scissors fell from Akashi’s grip and clattered on the floor.

“Get out of my sight,” his father hissed. He breathed heavily, and he clutched at his tie as if he thought his own sophistication could save him.

Akashi realized he panted a bit as well before he straightened himself. Only then did Murasakibara release his arm and step back. Now that he regained his conscious thought, he noticed how his tall companion glared at his father even beneath his practiced glower. His father purposefully looked away from them both.

He started to say something, but Akashi realized his previous statement was all he needed in a final one. That, and his last action.

Akashi turned and left the office. Murasakibara followed after him, and they soon walked briskly down the hallway. Akashi felt overly aware of his father’s presence far behind him, and he forced himself to reevaluate his present.

“Is the surgery finished? What is the result?” he said.

Murasakibara shrugged. “Mido-chin refused to say anything until you were there. He sent us all looking for you. Ki-chin is checking the gardens, and Ao-chin is in your office. You wouldn’t answer your phone.”

“I see.”

They remained in silence for the rest of the trip to the elevator and then down to the sub-zero floor where the research department resided. All the while his already stirred emotions hummed just beneath the surface, Akashi mentally went over the possible outcomes if Midorima demanded his presence. None of them ended well, and his heart pounded.

Midorima, Aomine, and Kise waited for them as soon as they exited the elevator.

“The meeting room. Now,” Midorima said.

For once Akashi did not question the fact that someone other than him gave an order. They filed into the research department meeting room, and they did not surface for another two hours.

…

Waking up took far more effort than Kuroko thought fair. His mind flickered with thoughts, and before anything else, he heard a distant tapping. Soft at first, barely there. Then as he focused on it, the steady thrum grew louder, and as the sound increased, the sensation became a bit annoying. Who tapped in a hospital?

In a hospital…

His thoughts shone a bit brighter as they strung together into chains, and Kuroko remembered that he lived in a hospital now, and this was not the first time.

_He once slept on waiting room couches every night, and he lived off snacks from vending machines when he managed to scrounge up the spare change. How long did he change his clothes in bathroom stalls and brush his teeth at public sinks?_

_His grandmother died first. Then his father entered critical stage. When his mother moved into a hospital room, Kuroko sold their house to pay the medical bills. He lived in the hospital for a month and watched countless families disintegrate before him._

_He tried to stay, but they kicked him out, told him he had no reason to be there anymore._

_Kuroko supposed they were right, and so he left with nothing to his name. No home. No family._

But now he lived in a hospital again, and this time he worked to save someone rather than watch helplessly as they died. He offered his blood and gave them a chance. Didn’t he?

Yes, he volunteered all his blood. Once critical condition hit, ABO did its work quickly, and they needed to make a decision. When they hesitated, Kuroko stepped up. He did not take no for an answer, and a moment later, he laid down on a hospital bed across from hers.

The tube connected to his arm fed him a medicine that made him feel warm. Those eyes - one crimson, one gold - made him cold, but the medicine doused him in a steamy cloud. He breathed in the mist, and that was the last. He imagined bright lights and a sharp needle, but that was all those images were. Imagination.

What really happened?

Kuroko struggled to open his eyes. The tapping continued outside his own head, and he now felt the itchiness of an IV in his arm, and the weight of a blanket at his waist.

He lived. He was fairly certain that the afterlife did not involve thin sheets and IVs and that godforsaken tapping, so he must have survived the surgery. That was good, he supposed. Kuroko could not quite muster any enthusiasm at this, but he wanted to know the rest.

If only… he could… open his… eyes…

A crack, searing white light, ceiling tiles.

Kuroko tilted his head, and red flooded his vision. Hair, eyes, lips.

“Could you stop that tapping?” Kuroko requested politely, his voice almost incomprehensible in its hoarseness.

Akashi obligingly stilled his pen and set his clipboard and writing instrument aside. He smiled at Kuroko with such softness that the warmth flooded him even without anesthesia.

“My apologies. How are you feeling?”

“Tired. Weak.” Kuroko paused for a moment, but once the effects of Akashi’s smile faded, he thought of another. “Cold.”

“All common symptoms of extreme blood loss. Shintarou predicted this. He is working on a diet ideally suited for you, so we will take care of this quickly,” Akashi promised.

He sat with his legs crossed in a normal chair, hard-backed and short. Kuroko turned his head the other way and realized that the two of them were alone. No other visitors. No Shiori. Why wasn’t Akashi talking about Shiori? She was the entire purpose for all of this. Why wasn’t he saying anything?

A coldness completely unrelated to blood loss entered Kuroko’s body.

“What happened?” Kuroko said. “Did the surgery work?”

Akashi would not quite meet Kuroko’s eyes, choosing to stare at the foot of the bed instead. “Tetsuya, you are very weak. Shintarou’s fluids replenish your blood cells at a faster rate than normal, but it will still take days before you return to full health.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“I realize this,” Akashi acknowledged. “I will be moving you soon, and I have a suggestion. I can put you to sleep again, so you will recover faster. Then when you wake up, you will be in the new location and in better health. You are in a fragile state of mind right now.”

Kuroko leveled Akashi with a look that he knew demanded no nonsense. “Akashi-kun. How did the procedure go?”

Akashi sighed, and his posture slumped ever so slightly. “The procedure succeeded… briefly.”

“Briefly?”

“Shintarou managed to take three units of blood from you and keep you alive as well as transfer four units of blood to my mother while keeping her stable.”

“Then where is she?” Kuroko demanded. He noticed that Akashi’s eyes shined unnaturally, and he knew that tears lingered there that he wouldn’t let fall.

“The blood she was given was contaminated, and my mother was not strong enough to fight it. She passed two hours ago.”

Kuroko suspected this outcome from the moment he woke, yet the confirmation floored him. He struggled to pull in a breath, and when he did, it burned his throat and his lungs. He tried. He tried so hard. But even when he put his life on the line, he was still not enough to save anyone. Not even someone as special as Shiori.

Then the full effect of Akashi’s words hit him.

“The blood was… contaminated?” he repeated.

Akashi finally met his eyes, and Kuroko had never seen such sadness in them before. Not even when his mother told him the true nature of her illness. He smiled, but the gesture was empty, and not how it used to be. This was an attempt to comfort Kuroko even while he felt no solace within himself.

“Tetsuya,” Akashi said quietly. “You have ABO.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I somehow feel really guilty about ending the chapter like this...


	9. A Fast Pace Between Earth and Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they leave the country to escape their demons (sort of).

Akashi recognized the despair that bloomed across Kuroko’s face, for he reacted the same only a few hours earlier. Already pale and frail from blood loss, he appeared as if he might fall over from the shock alone, and Akashi fought the urge to reach for him and embrace him in his arms. He doubted Kuroko would welcome such a gesture from him at the moment.

“W-what?” Kuroko stammered weakly.

Akashi pressed his lips together, and he fought to keep a neutral tone. Something more difficult for him than usual when he felt as if the walls inside him crumbled into dust. “Do not worry. I will do everything in my power to help you.”

“But how-?”

Before Kuroko could finish his question, a small ding sounded from Akashi’s slacks. “Excuse me, but this is likely important,” he told Kuroko as he fished the device from his pocket.

He kept a careful eye on the other even as he unlocked the screen and held the phone to his ear. Shock still froze his expression into something gaunt and traumatized, and Akashi ached at the sight, especially remembering how he bravely insisted that he wanted this. Donating his blood, standing up to Akashi for his rights, the surgery. Kuroko had a strong will, and to see it crushed hurt Akashi more than he properly understood. He almost felt thankful when Midorima’s voice called his attention.

“We are nearly ready. I sent Murasakibara to help you bring Kuroko.”

“Ryouta is having no problems?” Akashi inquired.

A huff sounded on the other end. “The idiot is surprisingly apt. He even managed to contact that friend of his to guide him through the sky.”

Akashi no longer found it in him to be shocked at his colleagues’ capabilities anymore. “I see. And you have contacted Kagami Taiga?”

“Yes, he is on his way.”

“Kazunari?”

“Aomine is bringing him here right now.”

“I see. Thank you, Shintarou. We will meet you shortly.”

“Understood.”

Akashi snapped his phone shut, and by the time he returned it to his pocket, he noticed Kuroko’s heavy gaze on him.

“What is happening? Why did you need to contact Kagami-kun?” he demanded. Even broken and devastated, his mind was still sharp.

Akashi resisted the urge to sigh. He need to be strong, especially now. “I hoped to inform you of these things under better circumstances, but I suppose it can’t be helped. We are going to America. You and Kazunari are in desperate need of treatment, and we believe the best option is there.”

“America?” Kuroko repeated as if Akashi had suggested Neverland or Hogwarts. “But how? The quarantine…”

“Will not be an issue,” Akashi assured him. “My father owns a private plane, and Ryouta will fly us. I understand that you might have qualms about traveling so far with me, so I contacted Kagami Taiga to come as well. Once I informed him of the circumstances, he agreed.”

Akashi watched as emotions and arguments struggled within Kuroko. He was not particularly expressive, but the strain from the surgery and then the emotional trauma of Akashi’s grim news left his barriers weaker than normal. His expression showed his struggle to come to terms.

Akashi made a special effort to keep his voice gentle when he continued, “I understand that this is a lot to comprehend in a short amount of time, but please put some trust in me. I am trying to help you.”

Kuroko met his gaze, his blue eyes unusually bright with vulnerability. “But why? I am no longer of any use to you.”

Something caught in Akashi’s throat, but before he could decipher the sudden pain, the door opened, and Murasakibara walked inside.

“It’s time to go,” Akashi said instead.

“Kuro-chin, how are you feeling?” Murasakibara drawled.

Kuroko hesitated before he carefully admitted, “I… have been better.”

“You scared us, Kuro-chin.”

Before Kuroko could respond, Murasakibara lifted him like a small child, and his head bobbed until he rested against his savior’s chest. Akashi noted every sign of weakness, and he despised himself and his past choices, for he knew he was the cause. Before he dove too deeply into such feelings, he lead Murasakibara out of the room, leaving the bed and monitor behind. Midorima already transferred the necessary medical supplies to the plane.

They avoided the heart of the hospital, so they met almost no one on the way to the hangar. His father was clever; even Akashi could admit that. He hid his plane with the emergency helicopters, so no one thought anything strange of aircraft runways on hospital estate.

As he had ordered beforehand, however, no one occupied the flight zone save for those directly under his payroll. And Ryouta of course.

“Akashi,” Aomine exclaimed as soon as they came within earshot. “You sure about letting Kise fly us out of here?!”

Akashi waved away his concerns and ordered Murasakibara to take Kuroko inside the plane instead. Once the two of them disappeared up the steps and into the great machine, Akashi finally addressed his distressed subordinate. “Ryouta is capable, and he is our best chance.”

“Then what about Satsuki? How can we leave her here?”

Ah, now Akashi understood. Aomine would not be this distressed over a little plane trip across the ocean. However, leaving his childhood friend behind was something entirely different.

“I requested that Satsuki stay for my own purposes. She agreed. I have taken measures to ensure her safety,” Akashi assured him.

“And what about your dad, huh? Who’s keeping her safe from him?” Aomine challenged.

Even Aomine seemed to realize he crossed a line here, for he took a step back when Akashi leveled him with a glare. “My father is in a delicate position. He knows I can topple him if I go to Japanese authority, and he knows better than to depend on my family loyalty. I let him stay at the hospital unharmed now in case I need him later. He will not go anywhere near Satsuki or the rest of the research department.”

Whether his tone or his words convinced him, Akashi did not know, but Aomine stepped down.

“Is everyone else inside the plane?” Akashi inquired.

Aomine nodded. “Kise is ready to go. He was waiting on you and Tetsu.”

“Then we better not keep him waiting any longer,” Akashi suggested.

The roar of the plane’s engine reached nearly deafening by now, and only Aomine’s unnaturally loud voice and Akashi’s commanding tone allowed them to converse this long. With a last glance at the empty helicopters in the otherwise desolate hangar, Akashi and Aomine climbed the steps to the plane’s doorway. They stepped through, shut and clasped the door behind themselves, and took deep breaths inside the sudden quiet.

“I suggest a seatbelt,” Midorima recommended from his station between the cockpit and the cabin. Normally the steward lingered here, and somehow he seemed perfectly in place in his stiff attire and disapproving glasses.

“No kidding,” Aomine snorted. He crossed into the cabin of the plane where Akashi knew Takao, Kagami, Murasakibara, and Kuroko settled in for the flight.

Once only Midorima and Akashi stood alone in the space between, he asked, “Status?”

“Everything is going as we discussed. I set up beds for both Takao and Kuroko, and they are both hooked to monitors. I left Kagami and Murasakibara with instructions on how to care for them. Once we are in the air, I will also go to their side.”

“I see. Thank you, Shintarou. I will take the copilot’s seat then. Prepare for takeoff.”

Midorima nodded, and Akashi entered the cockpit. A strong sense of surreality hit him, and he questioned his own mind. Of all the things to suddenly take place in the past twenty-four hours, his brain balked at the sight of Kise with a headset pressed on his perfectly styled hair and his long fingers ghosting across the controls of the plane as if playing a piano.

“I’m not sure I can do that… But if you say so, I’ll try,” Kise muttered.

“Excuse me?” Akashi questioned as he sat down in the seat next to Kise. He stared at the toggles and switches before him, and he felt angry with himself for his own ignorance. He despised entering a situation in which he did not have a background.

Kise startled once he realized that he had company. “Oh Akashicchi! Sorry, I was talking to my senpai from aviation school. Sorry, Senpai, I was talking to Akashicchi.”

Akashi’s gaze lingered on the headphones on Kise’s ears, and he understood. He found a pair for his side and slid them over his head.

Immediately a voice invaded his mind. “All right, Kise, I finally found a path for you. There’s a plane crossing from India to Canada. I’m going to send you their coordinates, and you’re going to follow their path until I tell you to divert to the States. You should be good for a while, and I’ll contact you again when I clear you a space to land in Seattle.”

“Thanks, Senpai. I owe you one,” Kise gushed, genuinely thankful.

“Just be careful, idiot.”

Static filled the line and then faded into silence when Kise flipped a switch.

“Kasamatsu Yukio, correct?” Akashi asked.

Kise nodded as he scanned the data that suddenly popped up on the screen in front of him. He adjusted levers and knobs as he replied, “Flying is tricky. You have to be aware of who else is in the sky. Senpai is having me follow someone else because the flight path is already cleared. He has a lot of connections, so he’s going to talk to the Seattle airport officials to get clearance for us to land.”

“I see. Thank you for your hard work.”

Kise flashed Akashi one of his shining smiles. “Anything for you and Kurokocchi. And Takaocchi.”

Akashi smiled softly, and he leaned back in the chair. He strapped his seatbelt across his chest.

“I think I’m ready,” Kise said.

“Proceed,” Akashi confirmed.

He would never admit it, but his stomach lurched when the plane began to move. He never liked things with a greater power than himself, and the fact that Kise controlled such a great metal-plated beast only unnerved him more. Nevertheless, this was for Kuroko. For the good of the world. Akashi braced himself.

The plane crept at first, Kise steering the machine with careful precision. He avoided the helicopters and followed the line of the runway. He paused, and the engine thrummed all around them.

Kise clicked a switch, and his voice echoed in the cockpit and then in the cabin. “Okay, guys, might want to sit down and buckle up now. We’re about to takeoff! Don’t worry, I totally know what I’m doing, and Akashicchi is here with me, so we’re going to be fine. Here goes!”

As soon as Kise’s less-than-encouraging speech reached its end, the plane jolted, and Akashi’s back pressed into the cushion of the seat. Kise clenched the controls with single-minded concentration, and the plane sped down the runway like a star shooting across the galaxy. Akashi noted the exact moment when they began to rise into the air, an inch at a time and then by feet and then even farther.

The view past the glass of the cockpit changed from the darkness of the hangar to greying purple skies of twilight. The twinkling lights of the hospital melded into the flashing illumination of the rest of the city.

Akashi watched as Japan became a two-dimensional space below him, and the plane rocketed through the clouds.

…

Kise eventually reached a stable elevation, and he gave his passengers the clear to walk around. A moment later, Aomine poked his head through the curtain. “Hey, why isn’t the wifi working?”

“A little busy with other things at the moment,” Kise grunted, his eyes trained on the screen with Kasamatsu’s instructions. His hands still grasped the controls that separated them from the ground tens of thousands feet below.

Akashi leveled Aomine with a neutral stare. “Is that really a priority?”

Aomine huffed and disappeared back into the cabin. Akashi inwardly marveled how some things did not change even when every other aspect of the world had. His father was now his mortal enemy and the destroyer of the entire population if he did not reach America in time. He lost his mother, and while he had not given himself time to mourn or even fully acknowledge the grim fact, he could feel the hole inside him growing bigger. Now he crossed the ocean with his companions in hope of finding some solution to all this.

Yet despite all that, he could still count on Aomine to be obnoxious.

“Have you told Kurokocchi everything?” Kise asked.

And Kise to be intrusive.

“Focus on your flight path,” Akashi ordered.

“Come on, you talked about priorities,” Kise whined. “Kurokocchi is priority.”

Akashi once again found himself fighting the urge to sigh. “I gave him a brief overview. Shintarou will give both him and Kagami Taiga the rest of the details. He has experience in relaying delicate information.”

Kise snorted, “No kidding.”

Akashi pointedly ignored him, but his mind already wandered.

_When Midorima first informed them of what took place during the procedure, Akashi’s composure cracked down the middle. He rose from his chair at the conference table, and he glared at Midorima with all the fire he possessed. Already unstable from his confrontation with his father, he toed the edge too closely to handle this on top of everything else._

_“How could Tetsuya have possibly contracted ABO in my hospital?” he hissed, and even Midorima shifted uncomfortably under Akashi’s glower._

_“I tested Tetsuya’s blood as soon as he agreed to the donations, and he was clean then.”_

_“Then how could he have ABO now?” Akashi snarled._

_“He already posed a risk to himself by giving so much prior to moving into the hospital. The additional donations must have tipped his body over the edge. We understand that ABO denatures blood cells, but the exact cause is still unclear,” Midorima explained._

_Then Akashi stilled. Since he stood at the head of the table, the other four noticed a change in him immediately. His aura weakened. He lost something in his eyes._

_Akashi then proceeded to inform everyone of his father’s villainous activities in the dark. Everything from the development of ABO to the sacrifice of his mother’s life._

_Once the appropriate cries of outrage and despair filled the room, Midorima spoke up, “If ABO originated in the hospital, Kuroko might have caught it from my instruments.”_

_Akashi shook his head and sat back down. He made a point of folding his hands across the table and taking a deep breath. Finding his center. Regaining control. He promised his mother that he would save her, and he failed. He promised Kuroko that he would come to no harm under his care, and he failed there, too. He was sick of failures, and he planned to do something about it. Starting now._

_“Ryouta,” Akashi commanded. “Go to the flight hangar. Contact your aviation instructor. Prepare the plane. We leave for Seattle, Washington as soon as possible.”_

_Kise did not even wait for further explanation before he left the room with a grim determination. He cared for Kuroko, too, and he trusted Akashi’s judgment, even blindly._

_Once Kise left, the other three stared at him with varying levels of shock and suspicion. Nevertheless, Akashi trusted them, and he knew they would follow him in whatever he directed._

_“My father sent the ABO formula to Seattle. Shintarou, if you had the exact formula of what causes ABO, possibly even a sample, could you form an antidote?” Akashi questioned._

_Midorima nodded immediately, his eyes lighting up with the possibility. “Of course.”_

_“Then it’s settled. Kazunari and Tetsuya are no longer safe here. We will fly to Seattle and contact the Americans who received my father’s shipment there. Once we have the formula, Shintarou will create an antidote to save Kazunari, Tetsuya, and anyone else infected. We will also ensure that the Americans do not spread the plague any further. Understood?”_

_Two heartbeats of silence. Then Aomine drawled, “Okay, I get all that stuff, but there’s a quarantine on Japan. How are we going to leave?”_

_For the first time in what seemed like forever, Akashi allowed himself a smile. “Were you not paying attention, Daiki? We have our own personal pilot.”_

A personal pilot who operated splendidly. When Kasamatsu contacted them again to inform Kise of the correct terminal in the Seattle airport in which to land, he easily adjusted his course and began making his way to the emerald city. They had been in the air nine hours now, and the sun peeked over the horizon, the first natural light in a long time.

They still had three hours to go.

“Hey, Akashicchi?” Kise muttered.

“Yes?”

“I’m feeling kind of tired.”

“I’ll see about caffeine.”

Akashi marveled that Kise lasted that long. The young pilot had been quiet though. Maybe all that energy he normally spent toward chatting and needless physical affection went into piloting instead. If so, Akashi might recommend he fly more often.

These thoughts in mind, he unbuckled himself and moved into the steward’s area. He easily found the things to make coffee, and he silently appreciated that his father could not stand living in anything less than luxury. At least his plane was well-stocked.

Once the coffeemaker started brewing, Akashi glanced at the curtain that separated the cabin from the rest of the plane. He knew that the others had been sleeping during the majority of the flight, but some might be awake now. He had not seen Kuroko since he had first woken from the procedure, and he wondered if he had improved any. While the coffee brewed, it would not hurt to check on everyone.

He parted the curtain and almost hesitated when he realized that not a few but almost everyone was awake. Even Kagami and Aomine huddled together around a small laptop. Akashi stopped in their aisle first, concerned for more than one reason.

“I see you found a way to log onto the wifi,” Akashi observed.

Aomine glanced up to meet Akashi’s eyes while Kagami kept typing, apparently intent on whatever he was doing. “Ah, yeah, I figured it out,” he drawled.

“You did?” Akashi repeated.

“Yeah I didn’t hang around Satsuki’s office all that time and not pick up a thing or two. Lucky break, too, because Kagami here is setting us up with a place to stay.” Aomine jerked his thumb in Kagami’s direction to illustrate.

Akashi raised his eyebrows. “Is that so?” he inquired.

Kagami finally looked up from the computer screen, and to his credit, he attempted to morph his initial scowl into an almost neutral expression. Considering this was their first meeting since Kuroko’s new diagnosis, Akashi had to admire Kagami’s control. After all, it was Akashi’s fault that Kuroko was in this position in the first place. He would go along with the plan if it meant saving Kuroko, but that did not mean that Kagami did not hold a grudge against him.

“Yeah,” Kagami confirmed. “Midorima said we were going to Seattle when he called. I have a brother who lives there, and I figured he could give us a place to stay for a while. I’ve been emailing him.”

Akashi had not confided this with anyone yet, but he had wanted to remain inconspicuous while in America. Though his father would not make an active move against him as long as Akashi had all the information to convict him, he did not think his father above sending someone else after him. A house owned by an unconnected party would be perfect.

“Thank you, Kagami.”

Kagami widened his eyes at the unexpected gratitude, but he managed to shake off the gesture with a shrug. “It’s whatever. Tatsuya says it’s no problem. He’ll even pick us up from the airport.”

Akashi nodded and left them to it. Almost more impressive than Aomine’s sudden technological skills and Kagami’s foresight was the fact that they got along at all. Then again, if there was one thing they could agree on, it would be Kuroko’s safety.

After a few more empty aisles of seats, Akashi came to where Midorima cleared space for the hospital beds. With Murasakibara’s help he’d removed the airline seats and replaced them with the beds. He’d used his meticulous eye for detail to secure them inside the plane along with the monitors. Boxes and cases of his supplies also filled the seats around him.

Takao lay in the first bed with Midorima at his side. He looked tired, pale and drawn even, and he talked softly in the way he only did around the doctor. The two whispered to one another, and Akashi chose not to trespass on their moment.

He also passed by Murasakibara who lounged across an entire row of seats by himself. His snores were surprisingly quiet considering his size, like breathy sighs.

Finally Akashi reached the second hospital bed, and he noted the soft blue hair splayed across the pillow and the ruffle of a hospital gown peeking out from the blanket. Asleep. Akashi was thankful he could find some peace in slumber though the slightest hint of disappointment touched him as well.

Akashi started to turn around when a soft voice caught his attention, “Akashi-kun.”

Akashi returned his gaze to bright blue eyes.

“Tetsuya,” Akashi murmured. “You should rest.”

Kuroko sat up instead. “Please, I would like to speak with you.”

Akashi did not feel as if he had the right to turn Kuroko down for anything right then. He lingered by Kuroko’s bedside, and minus a comfortable lounge chair, the position felt rather familiar.

“I wanted you to know that I have come to terms with my condition,” Kuroko informed him. “The sudden realization shocked me at first, but I was not completely unprepared. I accepted the risk a long time ago. However, I… I am sorry I could not help your mother.”

Akashi wanted to hit him almost as much as he wanted to hug him.

“You should worry more for your own condition. I promised your safety, and I failed,” Akashi returned colder than he intended.

Kuroko only smiled softly. “I did not exactly hold up my end of the bargain either.”

“I believe more than a few on this plane would disagree with your logic,” Akashi chided.

“If you are referring to Kagami-kun, I spoke to him earlier. He and Midorima-kun explained my situation and why we are going to America. I am… sorry.”

Though Kuroko did not elaborate, Akashi understood all that he implied. His mother’s death, his father’s betrayal. The weight of the world’s health suddenly on his shoulders. Akashi turned away and let his gaze linger on Midorima and Takao and then Aomine and Kagami instead. Anything to avoid those knowing blue eyes.

“I brought you into this. You are the last one who should feel sorry.”

“Perhaps,” Kuroko admitted. “But you are taking great measures for my health now.”

“Among other things.”

“Yes, Takao-kun is thankful, too. And the rest of the world who will have to acknowledge you as their personal superhero.”

The odd statement finally pulled Akashi’s gaze back to Kuroko, and the other smiled at his victory. Akashi realized Kuroko played him, and though he ought to feel angry, a sense of being impressed filled him instead. That seemed to be happening a lot lately.

Then Kuroko’s tone turned serious, but Akashi could not look away. “I understand that you feel guilty, but you do not have to pay the price for your family.”

“Tell me, Tetsuya, who are you speaking to when you say such things?” Akashi challenged.

Kuroko’s eyes widened, but to Akashi’s surprise, his expression shifted into amusement rather than the typical mask that normally surfaced whenever Kuroko’s family was mentioned. “I’m speaking to you, but perhaps my voice comes from experience.”

Those of the Akashi family did not gape, but he came pretty close. Akashi pointedly turned his back and said, “I made coffee for Ryouta. I ought to make sure he gets a cup before he falls asleep and sends us to the ground.”

“Please bring me a cup as well,” Kuroko requested, still wry in that subtle way of his.

Akashi wanted to deny him, but as soon as he rejuvenated Kise with his shot of caffeine, Akashi brought back a styrofoam cup spiked with vanilla creamer for Kuroko.

…

Three hours later found them approaching the Seattle skyline. Akashi returned to the copilot’s seat for the landing, and once Kise gave the order over the intercom for everyone to get seated and buckled, he began his slow spiral downward.

“You are rather close to Mount Rainier,” Akashi mentioned.

“Come on, Akashicchi, I’m not going to hit a mountain.”

Akashi had his doubts, but Kise navigated the air easily enough. Once he determined that the great white peaks did not pose an immediate danger, Akashi observed the city buildings and intricate roads. The city seemed to spread across water more than land, and he idly wondered if they had a better chance of survival crashing in the sea versus the ground.

They left the business and tourism districts for a part of the city purely industrialized, and then all thoughts became focused on how Kise descended much too quickly, bumps and jerks shuddering throughout the plane. Beads of sweat dotted the pilot’s brow as he focused, and when he finally touched the plane’s wheels to the runway for the final time, his whole body seemed to relax with relief.

Nevertheless his job did not end. Kise navigated the plane into the terminal, and this time when he relaxed, his body slumped in his seat.

“You did well,” Akashi acknowledged.

Kise smiled gratefully, if not stricken with exhaustion. “Thanks, Akashicchi.”

While Kise powered down the plane and contacted Kasamatsu one last time to assure his safe arrival, Akashi moved to the cabin. Midorima already started harnessing Aomine, Kagami, and Murasakibara with assignments to cart all his equipment off the plane, and Takao and Kuroko watched with tense postures from their beds.

Akashi thought he would feel some of the same relief that Kise did, but somehow, the feeling alluded him, and Takao and Kuroko must have felt similarly.

After all, they may have escaped Japan, but the enemy raging inside their bodies followed them even here in Seattle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: When I flew to Seattle over the summer, I kept imagining Kise flying the plane and Aomine in the background with a face like 'wat.' That inspired a lot of this chapter.


	10. A Closing Space Between Rock and Hard Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Akashi begins implementing his plan and basketball is never far from any of their hearts.

Only Kagami and Akashi could read the English signs that led them from the terminal to the baggage claim on the first floor. Murasakibara assisted Kuroko, and Midorima let Takao lean his body weight against him. The two patients possessed the strength to walk but only barely, and the elevators saved them from resorting to pushing the hospital beds around the airport.

Kasamatsu handled the aviation business, and he talked the Seattle officials into letting Kise leave the plane there for the time being. Akashi could only imagine how such conversations took place, but he guessed some money exchanges greased the bearings. Either way, Kasamatsu also gained them the right to return to the airport and retrieve their belongings from the plane at any time.

They made an odd group in the parking garage, surrounded by concrete pillars and the blank faces of empty cars.

Murasakibara always stood out among others, and when he practically held Kuroko’s slight frame, he appeared as some sort of guardian angel. Takao put most of his body weight on Midorima, but the doctor compensated by pushing back, so they almost appeared to support each other. Kise, Aomine, and Kagami towered over most of the average population themselves, and they huddled together like the vanguard of their group. Akashi stood before them as leader and negotiator.

When Tatsuya’s vehicle pulled up beside them, he rolled down the window and greeted, “I’m glad I rented a van.”

“Tatsuya!” Kagami exclaimed. He hurried to the driver’s side window and bumped Tatsuya’s fist. He looked like he wanted to pull his adopted brother out of the vehicle and start catching up then and there, but Akashi cut him off.

“Perhaps we should reach our destination before we exchange pleasantries?”

With some effort Midorima sat with Takao and Kise in the back. Murasakibara, Aomine, and Kagami squeezed into the middle, and Akashi sat in the front with Tatsuya. Kuroko was so tiny that he sat in the lap of Murasakibara, much to the blue-eyed boy’s annoyance. He might have complained more if he wasn’t still weak with blood loss. 

While Tatsuya drove through the busy streets of Seattle, Kagami did his best to inform his brother of everything that had taken place between when the Vampires - those seated among them - first attacked Kuroko to now. Of course Tatsuya already knew of ABO and the Vampires as the international media covered the epidemic even without sending in reporters. The quarantine stayed in effect, but Japanese journalists wired information to services like the Associated Press who then spread the news to other agencies.

Tatsuya also already knew of Kuroko and how he lived with Kagami in his apartment. Though the two adopted brothers took very different paths in their lives, they still kept in touch through text and the occasional video chat.

Tatsuya handled the new information well though. Even when Kagami relayed Akashi’s father’s involvement in the whole mess and the true reason why they chose to fly to Seattle, Tatsuya only raised a single eyebrow.

“Well, you are all welcome to stay in my home as long as you need. I have plenty of room, and you should all be able to live there comfortably,” he offered when Kagami finished the long tale.

Akashi assumed he said this only out of obligation and that they would soon have to find another way to accommodate the size of their group, but when they reached Tatsuya’s home, Akashi realized he was being completely serious. The size of the house almost competed with the Akashi family mansion, and he guessed there was at least enough bedrooms for each of them to have a private one.

“Wow, Tatsuya,” Kagami breathed when they pulled into the extensive driveway. The houses on either side of Tatsuya’s mirrored his in excellence and size. “This is amazing. You’ve really done well for yourself.”

Tatsuya shrugged off the praise as he cut the engine to the vehicle and opened the door. “I told you I got a new job. It pays well.”

Then all thoughts of finances flew from their minds when Kagami practically tackled Tatsuya, and the two brothers embraced. The open show of affection intrigued Akashi, and he wondered if those who cared for one another often acted in this way, or if these two only indulged because they were both raised in America.

His companions barely gave them a second glance, and Kuroko only smiled fondly.

When Tatsuya pried Kagami from him, he gave a brief tour of his home, both floors and the kitchen and bathrooms, and then they separated to pick bedrooms for themselves. Murasakibara and Midorima helped Kuroko and Takao settle in, both patients exhausted and weak from the travel.

It was late morning, but they spent the rest of the day sleeping, eating, and generally recovering from jet lag. Tatsuya showed Kise and Aomine how to work the television set, and the two fought over which channel to watch. Murasakibara took control of the kitchen and cooked them meal after meal without any regard for the time. Kagami and Tatsuya generally caught up with each other, sometimes in the living room with Kise and Aomine and sometimes in the kitchen.

Midorima took a taxi to the airport and brought back some of his equipment. He turned one of Tatsuya’s bedrooms into a mini laboratory for himself, and then he moved in monitors and IVs to Takao’s and Kuroko’s rooms, so that they regained the care they had known in the hospital.

The flight affected Takao deeply, and Midorima needed to pay particular attention to him.

Kuroko also still suffered from the procedure, and he slept most of the day. He only woke for meals, and he wouldn’t have done that much if Midorima had not made him.

As for Akashi, he thanked Tatsuya for his hospitality, contacted Momoi to confirm some things with her, and made a few quick searches for his plans for tomorrow. Then he pulled himself away from the others and locked himself in the bedroom he chose.

Once he insured his own privacy, he stumbled forward two steps and then fell to his knees. His body reacted before his mind did. The tremors started in his fingertips, and they continued and intensified until his entire form trembled with grief. Something slid down his cheek, and when he raised his hand to wipe it away, he felt wetness there.

Crying. When was the last time he had cried? Why did his body act in this way?

He felt cut in half, his mind numb and his body riveting with grief.

But when his thoughts finally reflected what he felt, the pain only became worse. Guilt rocketed through him like a bullet searing through his gut. Every choice he had made that led to this moment replayed over and over again in his mind.

Agreeing to Kuroko’s proposal. He had known it was a risk, but he allowed it anyway. Anything to save his mother. Any minuscule chance at all.

Confronting his father. The derangement in his eyes. The clear insanity that Akashi knew - he knew - reflected in his own eyes sometimes. He should have known. Surely, he of all people understood what his father was capable of. Could he have stopped this whole disaster from happening? If he had kept a closer eye on his father, would Japan be in peace? Would his mother be alive?

His mother. The only person to care for him and love him unconditionally. She did not care if he succeeded at the unrealistic standards his father set, and yet he still failed her, the one person he did not want to.

And Kuroko.

His heart lurched, and his breaths hissed through his teeth at the thought. He forced Kuroko into this. He offered his verbatim as a choice, but he knew that he had cornered Kuroko in a way that he could not refuse. Even when he allowed Kuroko his freedoms, he still kept him a prisoner in the hospital.

But Kuroko had to take that a step further. Offer his life in exchange for Shiori’s. Now he would lose them both.

No. No, he would not.

Akashi already lost his mother. He abandoned his father to his sins. If there was any way Akashi could atone for both of these things, it was this. He would find the antidote to ABO and save Kuroko’s life, and he would make sure the deadly disease would not spread to any other country. This was the least he could do.

It was what he owed them.

Eventually, Akashi found the strength to lift himself from the floor and climb onto the bed. He only found relief in sleep.

Then the nightmares started.

…

The next morning, Tatsuya drove Kagami, Aomine, and Kise to the airport to retrieve their things. As their trip from Japan to America was rather last minute, they could not pack extensively, but they had managed to throw together some basic clothing and essentials. They carted the luggage back into Tatsuya’s home while Midorima inspected Takao and Kuroko.

Murasakibara made breakfast for them all. 

While the rest ate and chatted, Akashi pulled Midorima to the side. He already dressed in a formal suit, and his eyes and hair offered no sign of the tears that had marred his usual perfection last night. “I assume you understand our next step.”

Midorima raised a single eyebrow as he surveyed Akashi carefully. “I suppose we need to learn who received your father’s shipments,” he hypothesized in a quiet voice. No need to disturb the others who feasted on pancakes and eggs.

“We already know the destination address of the shipments. What we need is the exact content of the shipments, but I have an idea of how to do just that,” Akashi confided.

“And what is that?” Midorima inquired.

“I require your assistance.”

…

Midorima tucked Takao back into his bed with strict instructions to take his medication and rest all day. Takao playfully protested, but the joke fell flat when he no longer had the strength to sneak from his room anymore. Rather, Takao teased for the sake of Midorima, and they both knew it.

After his long stretch of sleep and the diet Midorima dictated for him, Kuroko already showed signs of recovery. Unlike Takao, he was still in the early stages of ABO, and one would almost mistake him for a healthy person. After all, they had done just that for a long time. However, they all knew that such deception would only last so long before the disease took its toll.

Midorima sternly ordered Kuroko to eat and sleep all day and nothing else. Kuroko nodded without protest as Takao had, but Midorima somehow trusted that response less. At least Takao was open with his rebellion. Kuroko’s silence offered him nothing. 

Nevertheless, Midorima had no choice but to leave the care of his patients in the hands of his coworkers, or rather, the other idiots who followed Akashi. He almost felt thankful for Kagami’s presence. He found Kuroko’s friend rather childish as well, but his brother, Tatsuya, at least seemed level-headed. Surely, Takao and Kuroko would be safe for the few hours he would be gone.

He dressed in a suit as well, but he wore his lab coat over his pressed shirt. Midorima was not a good liar by nature, so Akashi thought it best if his role was rooted in truth.

Midorima and Akashi met at the door where they bid Aomine, Kise, and Murasakibara a temporary goodbye. They responded with grim expressions, but any notions of ‘be careful’ or ‘watch your back’ went unspoken. They all knew the gravity of the situation all too well.

They borrowed Tatsuya’s car rather than the rented van, and Akashi drove.

…

Once Akashi and Midorima departed, Aomine and Kise lounged in the living room to fight over the television remote again, but they soon grew restless. Kise enjoyed his petty arguments with Aomine, but they could only debate the worth of one crappy show over another for so long.

Murasakibara occupied himself with riffling through the cabinets, and then even he disappeared to bring Takao a late breakfast. Since Midorima ordered him to constant bedrest, Murasakibara was to dote on him like a prince. Or at least that was how Takao described the job. Really, Murasakibara didn’t do much more than force-feed the patient with nutritionally balanced meals.

Kise was not used to so much free time.

Akashi usually kept them all busy with both their hospital and Vampire duties, and Kise had dealt with an even busier schedule since he also worked as a model to fund Akashi’s extracurricular projects. The blank stretch of time now gave Kise time to linger on recent events, and that was not something he wanted to explore.

His heart still beat a little too quickly from the flight.

He never doubted his skills really. No matter how much time had passed, he had always possessed an impossibly ability to catch onto anything he watched at least once. Once Kasamatsu-senpai agreed to navigate for him, he felt as if he could handle the airplane like an expert.

As stressful as it had been, the flight across the ocean was the least notable of what had happened recently. Rather, that took form in the small boy who shuffled into the living room.

“Hello, Aomine-kun, Kise-kun,” Kuroko greeted.

His pale blue hair splayed in impossible directions, and Aomine snickered. “You look like you stuck your finger in an electric socket, Tetsu,” he teased.

Kuroko attempted to pat down the stray locks but to no avail. “I slept a long time,” he said by explanation. Like Takao he had slept through breakfast. Giving up on his hair, he sat down on the couch between Kise and Aomine and glanced at the television that now showed some random drama.

Kise tentatively ran his fingers through Kuroko’s hair, and though the other tensed at first, he relaxed once he realized Kise only meant to tame his bed hair. With expert movements Kise untangled the knots without once pulling on his scalp. He had picked up a thing or two during his photoshoots after all.

“Shouldn’t you be in bed?” Aomine accused.

Kise thought much the same, but he hesitated to treat Kuroko with anything less than love and care at the moment. When Midorima told them of the illness that raged inside Kuroko’s frail body, Akashi reacted the worst, but the rest of them took it hard as well. Kuroko had lived in the hospital a long time at this point, and they had all grown rather attached.

Kise’s heart ached at the thought of losing the blue-eyed boy, especially now. No one who offered his life to save Shiori Akashi deserved to die in this way. Besides Kise had a feeling that Kuroko’s death might be the final step to Akashi’s undoing if it ever came to pass.

“I am not invalid,” Kuroko protested. “I can still move, and I feel well.”

Aomine snorted. “Try saying that when Midorima catches you.”

Kuroko glanced around the room and noted the suspicious lack of anyone else present. “Where is everyone?” he inquired.

“Midorimacchi and Akashicchi went to where the ABO samples were shipped. Akashicchi has a plan to figure out the formula and stop the Americans from shipping the ABO anywhere else. Midorimacchi is with Takaocchi in his room, and Kagamicchi and Himuro are… somewhere,” Kise recited. While Kuroko slept, Kagami had hovered over Kuroko until Midorima asked Himuro to keep him distracted, and Kagami went with his brother willingly enough.

Kuroko pressed his lips together. “Is it safe for Akashi-kun and Midorima-kun to go to the address by themselves? Wouldn’t the people there wish them harm?”

Having returned Kuroko’s hair to a respectable state, Kise swung his arm around his shoulders and winked. “Don’t you worry about Akashicchi! He has everything under control.”

Kuroko opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment Kagami burst into the room in basketball shorts and a T-shirt. “Guys!” he exclaimed, his eyes wide and more filled with glee than Kise had ever seen them. “Tatsuya has a basketball court in his backyard!”

Aomine leapt to his feet immediately.

…

“Are you sure this will work?” Midorima said, adjusting his glasses. It was hardly the time to ask, considering they currently stood outside the headquarters of Pandora Pharmaceuticals. At least that was the name they chose for this particular building. Akashi informed Midorima that the company was actually owned by the US military and acted as a cover for biowarfare. 

Akashi’s voice was cold when he replied, “Of course. I am absolute.”

Midorima tried not to stare too openly at his companion, but he felt something sink in his stomach as his worst fears were confirmed. Akashi seemed well enough on the drive here, not talkative but sane, but as soon as they left the car in the parking garage, his aura shifted distinctively. Apprehension prickled at the back of Midorima’s neck.

He should have seen this coming. After all, who could lose his mother and discover his father’s sinful exploits without suffering some repercussions?

Akashi and Midorima entered the building and approached the receptionist’s desk. The place seemed ordinary enough at first glance. Chairs in the waiting room, magazines on the small tables. Then again, Midorima supposed Akashi appeared normal at first impression as well.

“Hello,” Akashi greeted in English with barely an accent at all. He smiled, but that was a weapon as well. The receptionist tensed and stared with wide eyes. “We are representatives for Rakuzan Hospital in Japan. We are here to discuss a recent negotiation.”

“Ah, do you have an appointment?” the receptionist managed after a moment to clear her throat.

“I doubt we are in your records, but the executive in charge of foreign relations is expecting us,” Akashi relayed.

“We d-don’t accept anyone without a formal appointment,” the receptionist stammered.

This time, when Akashi smiled, both Midorima and the receptionist sensed the danger, and they watched him with wariness. “I believe I mentioned that we are expected,” Akashi repeated.

“I’ll just make a quick call,” the receptionist quickly agreed and practically lunged for the phone.

Akashi stood with pristine posture and an unbreakable gaze, and Midorima only dared to steal quick glances of him while they waited. Though Midorima had quite a few centimeters on him, the intimidation that surrounded Akashi had nothing to do with his stature. Something in his mind and in his eyes instilled fear into those around him.

When the receptionist returned her attention to them, she focused on Midorima to avoid the fierceness in Akashi’s own gaze. “Victor Erikson will see you now,” she relayed, struggling to maintain her composure.

Akashi nodded and thanked her for her time. She hastily gave them directions to this Erikson’s office as if she could not wait to get rid of them.

As they walked the office halls, Midorima muttered, “Do you have a plan for if we are discovered?”

Akashi’s expression did not change. “Of course, but such a course of action will be unnecessary.”

When they reached the office of Victor Erikson, Akashi knocked once and entered. Midorima followed, the weighted door shutting behind them. The man himself startled at his desk, and he quickly minimized a page on his computer. “Can I help you?”

“Yes, I am Akashi Seijuro, a representative of Rakuzan Hospital, and this is Midorima Shintarou, a doctor employed there. I am sure you are aware of the business we wish to discuss,” Akashi explained, completely ignoring the chairs meant for visitors. He preferred the position of power.

“Rakuzan’s America-based representative has already handled everything,” Erikson argued, rolling away from his computer. Akashi stepped closer to his desk, and Midorima followed his example.

Midorima recognized his cue, and he cleared his throat before continuing in accented English. Though he studied diligently, he could never pull off feats such as these without some awkwardness. “Ah yes, we are aware of this representative,” Midorima assured the man. “However, Masaomi Akashi asked us to relay information personally to insure that this correspondence remains secret even of hackers.”

Erikson raised a single eyebrow. “Hackers? What exactly do you have to tell me?”

“Masaomi Akashi no longer wishes to have any ties to your project. He will remain silent, but he asks that you send no more requests to him, and you are released of your obligation to pay him.”

Just as Akashi expected, Erikson reacted with abundant shock. After all, what business man decided to go without pay? Midorima fought the urge to glance at Akashi as he nodded and quickly continued to keep Erikson’s attention. “Yes, Masaomi Akashi is now under suspicion of the Japanese government, and he cannot afford any future correspondence to fall into their hands. He wishes to cut his losses, and he will not reveal any of his knowledge in exchange for your silence in regard to his involvement.”

Erikson narrowed his eyes then. “How can I trust this? I allowed you to come in because so few know of this project that I knew Masaomi must have sent you. But this is too out of character of him for me to ignore.”

“You can trust us because I am his son,” Akashi inserted, bringing all attention to himself. Midorima sighed with relief. His role was over.

Akashi removed his wallet from his coat pocket and showed Erikson his identification. “My father only trusted his own blood to relay such private information. You mentioned Rakuzan’s American-based representative. He wishes to disemploy him from his service but requests that you hire him into your company. My father does not want any loose ends.”

Erikson obviously still reeled with the sudden information of just who was in his office, but he nodded unsteadily. “Yes, of course,” he agreed. “If your father keeps his silence, we will keep ours.”

Akashi smiled. Twisted. Razor sharp. “My family thanks you for your cooperation. Have a good day, Victor Erikson.”

Midorima only breathed freely when they made it back to Tatsuya’s car in the parking garage.

…

“Kuroko, we seriously can’t let you play.”

Kuroko did not pout necessarily, and his expression did not even really change, but everyone on the basketball court felt the disapproval radiating from him. “I don’t like that you of all people are telling me this, Kagami-kun,” he deadpanned.

Kagami frantically looked to Aomine and Kise for help, but Kise nervously rubbed the back of his neck and laughed, and Aomine turned away completely. When Kagami glanced to Murasakibara for help, the towering male only tossed another handful of chips into his mouth. Tatsuya just shrugged, and Takao started giggling manically from his post in the lawn chair.

When the occupants of the house gathered around the outside court for a game, Takao refused to be left inside. Murasaibara and Aomine carried both Takao and his monitor out to the porch where he had a perfect view of the court.

“Looks like you’re on your own, Kagami!” he shouted, still laughing even despite the obvious weakness in his pale complexion and trembling fingers. Nothing dampened his sense of humor.

“Come on, you guys agree with me on this one, right?” Kagami pleaded. “Kuroko, you have ABO now. You should be taking it easy. Besides Midorima will kill us if he finds out, and there’s no way any of us are going to let you worsen your condition.”

Kuroko remained unamused. “Kagami-kun, I doubt physical exercise can affect the denaturing of my blood cells, and I am still in early stages. I can play a little basketball. Besides.” Here, Kuroko smiled the slightest bit. “You need one more player to make the teams even.”

No one could deny that.

A moment later, they divided into teams. Kagami, Kise, and Tatsuya made up one side, and Aomine, Murasakibara, and Kuroko compiled the other. They flipped a coin for first possession, and once the game began, nothing stopped the intensity that exploded on the court.

Basketball had come up in conversation among them before, but no one could have imagined the collection of talent gathered in this one court. Kagami and Tatsuya played with the skill they learned from their mentor, Alex, and Murasakibara benefitted from the pure power of his height and strength. Aomine’s skill knew no limits when he tossed up shots from every position, pulling from his years of experience. Kise had never played before, but after a few possessions, he picked up everyone’s moves and became a pretty respectable player himself.

As for Kuroko, he did not have the power or height of them, and he did not possess the refined skills of others. Nevertheless, he always seemed to pop up for a steal when they least expected it, and he somehow managed to put the ball into Murasakibara’s and Aomine’s hands at just the right moments. 

He called it misdirection, and Kuroko seemed quite adept at it.

Altogether, they were evenly matched. Takao kept score for a while, but once the exchange of baskets sped up to blink-of-an-eye levels, he gave up.

They barely noticed when the heat of day faded into the breezy chill of afternoon and then evening. They all enjoyed the thrill of a game of basketball, but more than that, shouting out plays and competitive cries while their blood pumped with the adrenaline of the sport was a far better pastime than lingering on what they had all been through. What they were preparing to do next.

Even Takao could forget for a little while as he watched though the weakness in his blood never left him completely.

They all forgot for a little while… until reality was brought back to them with crashing vividness.

Kuroko stole the ball from a pass that was meant for Kise, and they all expected the ball to land squarely in Aomine’s hands, but instead, the basketball bounced twice and rolled to the side as Kuroko collapsed on the court.

“Kuroko!”

“Kurokocchi!”

“Tetsu!”

All forms of his name rose into the air, but Murasakibara and his long stride reached him first. Kuroko breathed heavily, and his pale skin flushed an unusual pink. Murasakibara gently pulled him into a sitting position, firmly supporting his back with his hand.

“I’m sorry,” Kuroko apologized weakly. “I seem to have overexerted myself.”

“You think?” Kagami barked, obviously torn between wanting to smack Kuroko and keeping himself from harming him further.

“Come on, Kurokocchi, maybe you should go back to bed,” Kise suggested.

“Yeah, we wouldn’t want Midorima to know you nearly fainted,” Aomine added.

Tatsuya laughed softly, pulling all eyes to him. “About that,” he told them, pointing to somewhere behind their backs. “I believe we are a bit too late.”

At that moment, a cold voice made them all feel a bit shaky in their bones.

“Why is Tetsuya not in bed?”

…

As they drove back to Tatsuya’s home, Midorima felt the aura around Akashi dissolve into his normal brand of intimidation and power. His fingers relaxed around the steering wheel, and something softened in his eyes. Midorima only noticed because he searched for it.

“I assume you succeeded in your mission?” Midorima inquired.

“Of course,” Akashi answered. “While you distracted him, I placed the flash drive inside his computer just long enough for the program to download. Momoi invented it herself, and the program should instantly invade his files and continually send her information without any detection from his protective software. And there’s no physical traces to happen across either.”

“We are lucky to have her on our side,” Midorima noted.

“Agreed.”

The rest of the trip progressed uneventfully, but when they reached their destination, they found the house oddly empty. Feeling anxiety spike their nerves, they picked up their pace and reached the backyard only to discover a sight worse than what they first imagined.

“Why is Tetsuya not in bed?” Akashi demanded. He did not rush forward, but he was at Kuroko’s side in moments.

While Aomine, Kise, and Kagami sputtered for some reasonable answer, Kuroko replied, “I am fine, Akashi-kun. I overexerted myself a bit, but it’s nothing some water and rest will not solve.”

“Do not think I buy that for a minute,” Akashi chided. He pulled Kuroko’s arm around his shoulders and lifted him from Murasakibara’s grip. Once he had Kuroko on his feet, he helped the smaller boy limp back into the house. The others made to relax at the seemingly defused bomb, but Akashi paused to glare at those behind him. “And you do not think I will forget your involvement.”

He did not need to linger to know everyone tensed with apprehension.

Akashi left Midorima behind to explain the events of the day to the others, and he helped Kuroko back to his bed in his own room. He allowed Kuroko the privacy to change into clean clothes, but he quickly returned the IVs that fed him constant nutrients in their places. He had watched Midorima enough to pick up on the skill.

“Please do not be angry with them. I did not really give them a choice in the matter,” Kuroko admitted.

“I have no doubt, but I left you in their charge,” Akashi stubbornly refuted.

Kuroko tilted his head in a silent question. “I am not made of glass.”

“Tetsuya, I understand that you do not want to acknowledge this, but you are sick. The disease may not progress quickly now, but you will speed up its effects by pushing yourself.” Akashi sighed, and his eyes were soft when he met Kuroko’s. “Please try to refrain from extraneous activity.”

Kuroko stared in shock at the plea, and he did not reply for several moments. Something had been bothering him for a while now, and the regret in those crimson eyes reminded him of his resolve to do something about it. “Akashi-kun, it is not necessarily your responsibility to-”

“But it is my responsibility,” Akashi interrupted. “I promised you that you would be safe, and I have failed you enough already. I will not continue to do so.”

Now Kuroko was the one to sigh. “You should not feel guilt for what you cannot control. We both made our choices and did our best. It was not enough. You do not have to do all this in some misguided sense of justice. You owe me nothing.”

Akashi stiffened, and his eyes flashed fire. “While you may feel that way, I do not. Do not think I will let you die on my account, Tetsuya.”

“Why?”

The question, so simple and spoken with Kuroko’s even neutrality, surprised them both. Even Akashi stiffened with shock, and he moved suddenly for the door.

“I will send Midorima to check on you. I ask that you keep to bed rest for now. You may not be at critical stages yet, but perhaps careful proceedings will slow down the process.”

With the simple instructions Akashi left the room, and Kuroko stared at the space where he once stood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this took a little longer than usual! This chapter gave me a little trouble, but I hope you enjoyed it ^_^ According to my outline this story should wrap up at around sixteen chapters, but there's a lot happening between now and then.
> 
> Also, for those of you who only know me through AO3, I do sometimes post KnB drabbles on my Tumblr: eveismypenname.tumblr.com. I will also be publishing a college AU Akakuro ficlet soon, so there's than on the radar. I hope you are all having wonderful days :)


	11. An Odd Hybrid Between Logic and Instinct

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which no one understands Akashi (least of all Akashi) and Momoi is pretty damn impressive.

“Good morning, Tetsuya. Would you like a cup of coffee?”

Kuroko slowly blinked the fog of sleep from his mind as red hair and a defined jawline focused in his vision. “Akashi-kun?” he murmured, his voice strained from its first use of the day. “Why are you…?” His question faded away as the strong scent of coffee doctored with cream and vanilla finally hit his senses.

Akashi smiled softly, and once Kuroko adjusted himself into a sitting position, he offered him a mug with Seattle’s ferris wheel advertised on the side. Kuroko sipped deeply, and a look of pure bliss smoothed his features. He took two more drinks while Akashi crossed his legs in the chair he had pulled to Kuroko’s bedside.

When the steaming liquid soothed Kuroko’s throat into working order again, he eyed the other from the rim of the mug. “Has something happened, Akashi-kun?” he asked.

Akashi raised an eyebrow, and Kuroko clarified, “I feel as if I am being numbed in preparation for something terrible.”

“Do not fear. Our situation is no worse than it was when you fell asleep last night,” Akashi assured him.

Kuroko narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but Akashi’s words triggered something in his memory. Rather, a lack in his memory. Once Akashi left him in his bedroom, Kuroko recalled waiting for Midorima to come give him a lecture about self-preservation and obeying doctor’s orders, and yet… he did not remember actually receiving said lecture.

“As you may or may not recall, you fell asleep at five in the evening yesterday and did not so much as move for the rest of the night.” Akashi tilted his head in mild confusion. “Which puts your particular brand of bed hair under the category of highly improbable.”

Kuroko briefly considered attempting to tame his hair again, but he decided to sip from his cup instead. Though he normally preferred milkshakes or green tea, someone had sweetened this batch of coffee to perfection.

“Since you were not present for Shintarou’s explanation to the others, I thought I would take it on myself to inform you of our activities yesterday. Also, we received good news this morning, and I hoped you might find some comfort in a positive revelation,” Akashi continued.

“Good news?” Kuroko repeated.

Akashi nodded with a small smile. “Yes. Though to understand the news, I must begin with what Shintarou and I accomplished yesterday.”

Now that the caffeine flowed through Kuroko’s veins, his awareness multiplied exponentially. He noticed how Akashi wore a simple blue shirt with slacks, and the casual clothing made him appear younger and almost more approachable. Then again, Kuroko wondered if he felt that way because Akashi brought him coffee and now amiably chatted with him like an old friend. How odd that he once trembled at the thought of him, and now they occupied this room alone with the door closed, and Kuroko felt as comfortable as he did with Kagami.

“I suppose you know that we went to the address where my father sent his shipments of ABO. This turned out to be a pharmaceutical company that is actually owned by the US military. Shintarou and I managed to meet my father’s contact by acting as representatives for Rakuzan Hospital,” Akashi explained.

Kuroko’s eyes widened. “Was that not risky?”

Akashi did not quite shrug, but his flippant attitude clearly showed his dismissal of such concerns. “My father has barred me from the family bank accounts, but other than that, he would not dare attack more aggressively. I have proof of his involvement with ABO and the means to turn him in to the Japanese police. Besides, since so few people took part in the deal between America and my father, the mere knowledge of the pharmaceutical company’s Japanese relations was enough to prove my credibility to the executive.”

“Still, I worry there will be repercussions,” Kuroko admitted.

Akashi’s eyes softened. “Do not worry. Even if the people there realize Shintarou and I were not official representatives of Rakuzan, they cannot trace us back here.”

Kuroko supposed he had a point there. After all, Kagami’s adopted brother, Himuro Tatsuya, was probably the most random person in America for Akashi to have as a connection. He only knew Kagami through Kuroko, and even Kagami and Kuroko did not have a relationship that could be traced through research.

They should be safe here.

“That aside, while Shintarou distracted the executive, I downloaded one of Satsuki’s programs to his computer. As for the good news, Daiki and Satsuki have been texting in a code only the two of them can decipher, and she predicts that she will have the exact components of the ABO strain within the week. Possibly the Americans’ plan for the disease as well,” Akashi added.

“That’s amazing,” Kuroko murmured. “Momoi-kun is very talented.” Aomine had told him about his childhood friend, but he never imagined that they possessed such a skilled hacker on their side.

“I owe her quite a bit,” Akashi agreed. “We are on a sort of hiatus for now, but perhaps this is for the best. You and Kazunari need rest to recover the best you can, for as soon as we receive the information from Satsuki, everything will begin happening very quickly.”

“I understand,” Kuroko confirmed.

“No matter how restless you become, I must request that you refrain from playing basketball. I would rather not come home to your limp body on the ground again,” Akashi said, his tone teasing but his eyes completely serious.

Kuroko smiled in a gesture too close to a smirk. “I might can keep from playing basketball if Akashi-kun continues to wake me up with cups of coffee every morning,” Kuroko suggested, holding up the mug with only half of the liquid elixir left.

Akashi huffed something like a laugh. “I believe that can be arranged.”

…

“I can’t believe you’ve tamed the great Akashi Seijuro! I mean, he’s bringing you coffee. He probably hasn’t given anyone coffee in his entire life. Other people bring _him_ coffee. What do you think, Shin-chan? Maybe Akashi is the one who’s sick.”

Takao did not have the strength to lift his head from his pillow, but his voice carried as strongly as ever. Kuroko smiled softly from his chair next to Takao’s bed as the older boy chattered endlessly, even if the topic made him the slightest bit uncomfortable. Still, if Takao continued to smile like this, Kuroko could make the sacrifice.

“You should not gossip over such idle things,” Midorima chided as he focused his microscope. Though he originally chose to claim a different territory as his lab, he decided to move his things into Takao’s room to more closely watch his patient. For medical reasons, of course. His duty as a doctor. Not from emotional motivations at all.

“Come on, Shin-chan, this is important stuff,” Takao whined.

Midorima huffed his disapproval, but he moved on from his microscope to his spectrophotometer to zero out the old information. Kuroko turned his attention back to Takao who stuck his bottom lip out like a child.

“He’s only being kind. I believe he feels guilty for letting me fall sick,” Kuroko admitted.

“Well, yeah,” Takao said. “But if he just felt guilty, he would pay for your treatment, and that would be the end of it. He practically pampers you. Do you think I got this kind of personal attention when I first checked in to the hospital?”

Kuroko glanced away to hide his thoughts. Though he tried to rationalize Akashi’s behavior, his inner self could not help but agree with Takao. He understood Akashi wishing to find a cure to rectify his family’s mistake and even to save Kuroko in honor of their agreement. Still, Akashi continued to treat him like something precious, valuable, and Kuroko did not understand that at all.

When he returned his gaze to Takao, the other boy regarded him with a mischievous smirk. “Have I ever told you how Shin-chan and I met?” he asked.

“Takao,” Midorima warned, glancing up with a clean test tube in each hand.

“It’s not like it’s some big secret,” Takao protested. His eyes sparkled as he turned back to Kuroko, and his complexion even showed a bit of pink across his cheekbones. Kuroko suspected that this sudden burst of energy was the only reason that Midorima let Takao continue.

“So we were both in the same medical classes,” Takao opened. When he noticed the slight widening of Kuroko’s eyes, he grinned. “Didn’t think I was the med student type? I’ll have you know that I was pretty great. Or at least I would have been. The last semester before we graduated, Shin-chan and I were both studying ABO, but I, uh, kind of screwed up.”

“Scorpio was ranked last that day,” Midorima inserted grimly.

“I accidentally broke a vial of infected blood on myself, and well, I got myself tested, and sure enough, I contracted ABO almost immediately,” Takao admitted.

“Akashi approached us the next day. Rakuzan tends to scout its doctors, and I had superior grades. When Akashi heard of the accident, he offered to give Takao the best care if I worked for him in ABO research. Once I found a cure, Takao and his mother would receive the first doses,” Midorima relayed. He glanced down at the table where he set up his equipment, and Kuroko recognized the weight of guilt on his shoulders.

How did he not realize? Of course Midorima blamed himself. He did not find a cure in time and lost one of his three patients while the other two entered into far worse situations. Kuroko searched for words to soothe his wounds, but Takao stepped in for him.

“You still have time to make things right, Shin-chan. Momoi is going to send the formula any day now,” he promised.

Midorima grunted acknowledgment and then returned to his work. Takao, clearly used to such a response, only shook his head and sighed.

“Anyway,” he continued, addressing Kuroko again. “Got a bit carried away there. My point was going to be that Shin-chan and I hated each other at first. Fought over everything. Never agreed on hypotheses, and open discussions in class usually resulted in just us arguing. Professor kicked us out once, and Midorima nearly threw a punch at me for endangering his perfect grades.”

Takao smirked as he continued into the next part of his story, “But then we were assigned as lab partners. The first few times resulted in quite literal explosions, but then we realized we’d either have to work together or fail our lab credit. So then we figured out we actually worked pretty amazing together. Shin-chan’s great with measuring and details, and I’m good with handling the tools and stuff. We aced the class and decided to match up our schedules for the next semester, too. Even planned to apply to Rakuzan together, but a vial of ABO and Akashi beat us to that.”

“Your friendship is admirable,” Kuroko said with sincerity. He had called so few people his friend during his lifetime, Kagami really being his first. He valued seeing such bonds in others.

“Yeah, our friendship,” Takao laughed, and Midorima blushed. “The point is we started out hating each other, and yet here we are now. Get what I’m saying?”

Kuroko tilted his head in inquiry, but then a splash of crimson heated up his cheeks as he did begin to understand what Takao implied. “Akashi-kun and I never hated each other,” he murmured.

Takao shrugged. “Hatred, crushing fear, either one.”

“Not crushing fea-”

“Hey, Shin-chan, you’re done!” Takao suddenly exclaimed.

Midorima looked up from where he lined up the last of his machines in perfect proportion with the rest and adjusted his glasses. “Yes, now I only need the formula in order to find a cure. As long as I acquire my lucky item, I’m sure I will achieve victory. I will not fail.”

The ‘not this time’ went unsaid.

“Can you really find a cure from the formula alone?” Kuroko inquired. He always preferred literature and history to science even when he had gone to school, so he found it difficult to wrap his mind around some of the technical jargon. Then again, he had improved since when he first checked in to the hospital.

Midorima straightened his posture which Kuroko knew meant that he was in for a long-winded explanation. “Of course,” he dismissed. “I learned long ago that ABO denatured blood cells, and I searched for the exact way in which it did. If I have the formula that Akashi’s father’s scientists used, I’ll know exactly how to reverse the denaturing. The only issue will be gaining the equipment and ingredients to do so. And the finances to fund it.”

Kuroko nodded thoughtfully. He supposed Midorima’s reasoning made sense, but the issue of funding the chemicals that would be needed might pose a problem in the future.

“Kuroko, you ought to return to your bed. You should not exert yourself for long periods of time.” Before Kuroko could protest, Midorima finished, “Besides Takao needs rest.”

Kuroko could hardly argue with that. Though Takao thrived on company, he was physically weak, and Kuroko did not want to impede on his health any longer. He was surprised Midorima let him stay for this amount of time anyway. Once Kuroko bid his farewell to them both, he left the room. However, instead of returning to his own bed, he turned toward the other direction to find Kagami or Aomine or Kise.

No matter what Akashi and Midorima drilled into his head, he despised staying stuck between sheets for so long. He agreed not to play basketball, but he could explore the house at the very least. The others usually didn’t notice him anyway.

And so he did for the next four days.

…

Kuroko learned to look forward to the warm mug of coffee sweetened with milk and vanilla, but this morning, Akashi held the cup just out of reach. When Kuroko looked up with clear disgruntlement, Akashi met his expression with a distinct lack of amusement.

“Is something wrong?” Kuroko inquired.

“We had an arrangement. You get coffee when you stay in bed,” Akashi reminded him.

To his credit, Kuroko did not blush, and he held his gaze without even flinching. “If you recall, I promised to no longer play basketball. You never mentioned anything else.”

“It was implied.”

“I was unaware of any such implications.”

Akashi sighed, and he gave Kuroko his cup of coffee. The blue-eyed boy took the time to inhale the pleasant scent before taking his first sip. Akashi watched his eyes close with pleasure, his own expression carefully guarded. “To think there was a time when I thought I held the power in our relationship,” he murmured.

“What was that?” Kuroko asked.

“Would you like to come to breakfast? Kazunari is still too weak to leave his bed, but you seem to enjoy wandering the halls no matter what we say, so you might as well eat with everyone. Perhaps you will sate Ryota. It’s all I can do to keep him from crawling into bed with you at a constant,” Akashi concluded.

Kuroko smiled lightly. Everyone spent time with him at one time or another, but Kise certainly liked to stay the longest. Normally, Aomine or Kagami had to drag him away. On one memorable occasion Murasakibara picked him up and threw him over his shoulder.

Actually joining everyone at once around the breakfast table lightened his mood considerably. “Thank you, Akashi-kun,” he said before slipping out from beneath the blankets.

“There is no need. I should have known better than to keep you confined for long,” Akashi admitted.

While Akashi respectfully looked away, Kuroko changed into jeans and a blue and gray striped shirt. He attempted to comb his hair with his fingers but quickly decided to ask Kise for help in the kitchen. Once he pronounced himself ready, Kuroko and Akashi made their way to the dining table together. Occasionally their hands brushed together between them, but neither acknowledged the fleeting touches.

As much as Kuroko enjoyed the scent of coffee, the mug still in his other hand, nothing quite competed with the heavenly scents of breakfast when he and Akashi entered the kitchen.

“Oi, pass me the salt, would you?” Kagami asked.

While one hand used a spatula to flip bacon, Murasakibara used the other to pass a small shaker to Kagami who then proceeded to sprinkle the salt across a pan full of scrambled eggs. Aomine and Kise lounged at the bar and occasionally put in requests which Kagami and Murasakibara usually ended up denying. Tatsuya set out milk and juice on the counter from his fridge.

Midorima was absent, but that was not unusual. Kuroko suspected he stayed with Takao in his room.

“Kurokocchi! It’s good to see you out and about,” Kise greeted with his usual enthusiasm. Even first thing in the morning, he still looked every bit of a model.

Kagami glanced up from his cooking and smiled broadly. “Oi, Kuroko, about time you join us. We’ve been slaving over this.”

“Wha?” Murasakibara inserted. “You said this was the easiest breakfast to cook ever. That’s the only reason I agreed to help.”

“It was just a joke!”

Kuroko pulled up a stool between Aomine and Kise at the bar, and Kise immediately began to tame his hair. Kuroko leaned into his touch while Aomine caught him up on the last game of one-on-one that he and Kagami played. 

Akashi simply leaned against the doorway and observed. Over the past week an odd sort of comfort had draped over the household that technically did not even belong to them. Tatsuya welcomed their presence well enough, likely out of affection and obligation to Kagami. As for his subordinates, they long ago adopted Kuroko as one of their own, but now they practically treated him like a little brother or a childhood friend.

How odd really. They all felt protective of Takao as well, though not nearly as strongly as Midorima, but Takao possessed a charismatic personality that did not give one much choice in learning to like him. Kuroko had no such natural trait, yet his sincere honesty and desire to help others was just as compelling.

How odd indeed.

“Akashi!” Aomine suddenly shouted, his voice much too loud for the peaceful breakfast atmosphere. Everyone froze, and even the sizzling of the bacon seemed to dim in the sudden outburst. “Satsuki just texted me. Her program found the information we need!”

If his former yell dulled the surrounding noise, his last statement silenced it altogether. Understanding slowly dawned on each face, and many exchanged wide-eyed glances. Akashi, however, needed no time to comprehend the implications. He immediately rose to full height and rigid posture, and his eyes glinted as he demanded, “Translate everything.”

Aomine nodded frantically, and his eyes focused on the tiny screen of his phone. “I need paper and a pen. Some of this will be a little harder to translate from the code.”

Tatsuya immediately provided a legal pad with a pen, and Aomine’s hand practically flew across the yellow paper. The symbols meant nothing to anyone who looked over his shoulder, but he apparently found some meaning in the shapes. After ten tense minutes of scribbling, Aomine tore the final sheet out of the pad and presented Akashi with a chemical formula.

A simple collection of letters and numbers that somehow resulted in the disease that took his mother. That currently raged inside Takao’s and Kuroko’s and how many other bodies?

Kise had fetched Midorima sometime in the midst of everything, and Akashi handed the formula over to the doctor. His fingers trembled slightly as he took the sheet with the formula, but everyone kindly looked over that detail. They knew how much this moment meant to him.

Midorima barely glanced at the formula before he turned to leave the room with a quick, “I will begin work. I will send you a list of the supplies I’ll need later.”

When Midorima disappeared from the kitchen, they all had a strong feeling that they would not be seeing him again for a long time.

The whole thing made the kitchen feel like the aftermath of a disaster. Though the formula should have been a thing to celebrate, everyone buckled under the pressure of what events would soon follow. Kagami had the foresight to turn off the burners of the oven, but the food grew cold. Kise had long since put Kuroko’s hair back in order, but he still gently carded his fingers at the nape of his neck in uncharacteristic silence. Kuroko, in equal unlikeliness, let him continue, any show of comfort greatly appreciated. 

“Akashi,” Aomine said, quieter now. “Satsuki just sent me…” He penned a few lines of code on the legal pad and then nodded to himself in confirmation. “Satsuki sent me where the shipments of ABO are. They’re packed up in boats in one of the harbors, one next to Pike’s Place. She has their exact locations. The Americans… they plan to send they out to three different countries in two weeks.”

“She received all that information from that employee’s computer?” Tatsuya said in awe.

Aomine shrugged. “She’s insane with a few strings of code. Her analytic skills are out of this world.”

Kise and Murasakibara nodded their agreement, but Kuroko focused on Akashi and the way he clenched his hands into fists. “Akashi-kun, what are you thinking?” he probed softly.

“We will stop those boats from ever shipping. If we have their locations, we can end this plague here,” Akashi decided.

“Look, I want to end this, too, but do you really think they’re going to let us waltz onto their boats and destroy the cargo?” Kagami protested, waving his spatula for emphasis. “We’ve been pretty straightforward so far, but we’re going to have to go about this more carefully now.”

Akashi turned his sharp gaze to him, and it was all Kagami could do not to shrink down in fear. Even if he knew the ire was not exactly directed at him, the pure heat in Akashi’s gaze intimidated all in his presence. At least, it used to have that effect.

“Perhaps Kagami is right,” Kuroko admitted, and all eyes turned to him. “But that does not mean we cannot take action. We can use misdirection, like how I play basketball.”

“Misdirection?” Kagami repeated, clearly skeptical. Aomine, Kise, Murasakibara, and Tatsuya offered him similar looks, for though they had witnessed his skill in basketball, they hardly saw how that applied to international conflict and espionage.

Kuroko nodded. “If we cause a big enough event near the boats, all attention will be drawn to that instead of the ships. That would give us an opening.”

“Eh? So what can we do?” Murasakibara asked.

Akashi’s eyes lit up, and he briefly regarded Kuroko with wonder before he turned to Kise with an odd smirk. “Tell me, Ryouta, how is your singing voice?”


	12. A Beautiful Song Between Silence and Crescendo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there's a distraction and a mission and then a completely different sort of distraction.

An energy permeated through the air almost as strong as the chatter of thousands of people and the scent of fried foods. Even among the streets smells of bodies and exhaust and the snacks wrapped in greasy paper, there was still a strong waft of flowers and coffee grounds. Such was the atmosphere of Pike’s Place even on an ordinary day.

The market offered all manner of trinkets, and every corner hidden from sunlight showcased graffiti in varying forms of art. Music begged the ears of passersby as different street performers set the mood with a guitar here, a set of drums there.

A city of music and art and a wild sort of creativity.

“I like it here,” Kuroko murmured from Akashi’s side. They both wore hoodies and jeans to best blend in with the crowd, and they walked closely together.

Akashi smiled softly. “I am not surprised. It suits you.”

Walking through Pike’s Place with Akashi felt surreal, and Kuroko stole glances at Akashi’s face as he observed their surroundings just to reassure himself that this was actually happening, and he had not succumbed to ABO earlier than expected. The early autumn weather left a slight chill, but the very heart of the city seemed to warm them. That, and the crowds of people that convoluted the busier parts of the streets.

The foreign languages that buzzed in Kuroko’s ears was strange, but Akashi translated for him when necessary. Besides, English was not the only strange tongue here. He heard all manner of syllables from several cultures, and he even caught bits of Japanese at times.

“Are you feeling okay?” Akashi inquired. His sharp eyes missed nothing.

“A little tired,” Kuroko admitted only because he knew Akashi would see through a lie. Besides, this was part of their bargain. Kuroko wanted to be here when everything began to happen, but he absolutely had to inform Akashi of the slightest change in his condition. Otherwise, he would be directly sent back to Tatsuya’s home where Takao stayed in bed and Midorima diligently worked on the formula for his cure.

Kuroko expected Akashi to lecture him or suggest sending him home anyway, but instead, a steady arm curled around his back, and a hand settled on his waist. “Lean some of your weight on me,” Akashi whispered, and Kuroko felt as if he could melt into Akashi’s hold and remain completely safe. “Conserve your energy.”

“Yes, Akashi-kun.”

No one even gave them a second glance. Two men, in this way, did not faze those of Seattle.

“Ah, here we are,” Akashi replied.

Kuroko was so focused on Akashi’s arm around him that he did not notice when they left solid ground for a pier. Rippling water surrounded them and lapped at the pillars that held them above the small piece of ocean, and Kuroko took in the sight with wide eyes. When he returned his gaze to the pier itself, he noticed the small restaurants and stands and, finally, the ferris wheel.

The image on his coffee mug in the morning did not do it justice.

As the sun began to set, a myriad of colors graced the sky in pastel hues, and the ferris wheel brushed the painting with imposing beauty. The carts rotated in a slow cycle, and the lights weaved throughout the rails winked in the shifting perceptions.

“We will be up there?” Kuroko asked.

“A high vantage point for ideal perspective,” Akashi confirmed. “And you will be far from the actual activity of tonight.”

Somehow, Kuroko gathered the last part was the only reason he was allowed to tag along.

They waited for the few people on the ferris wheel to finish their ride, but already, most everyone was gathering around the primitive stage between the market and the wheel. A week’s worth of social media announcements, paid articles in newspapers, and posters put up in every active part of Seattle brought the crowds to Pike’s Place tonight, and all with one thought in mind.

When the carts finally halted in their rotation, the operator allowed the patrons to exit one by one, and they all joined the growing mass surrounding the stage, a barely-raised platform rented for occasions such as these.

Akashi had already reserved the ferris wheel for the rest of the night, so he and Kuroko boarded a cart without fuss. He and Kuroko sat flush against each other, and Akashi moved his arm from his waist to around his shoulders. Kuroko leaned against him, partly for warmth because the sun’s setting left the city even colder, and partly not.

Akashi nodded at the operator, and they began their slow rotation.

Kuroko’s stomach turned at the sudden movement, but as they rose higher, his eyes sparkled with wonder. The sky now melded into a gradient of violets and blues, and the lights of both near and far glimmered. The mass of people below them seemed almost as much a turbulent sea as the actual body of water on the other side of them.

“Do you think Murasakibara-kun and Himuro-kun can handle all that by themselves?” Kuroko wondered.

Akashi noted the speakers and microphone on stage and the hired security posted between the crowds and where the man of the hour would soon arrive. Earlier that day, he had already inspected every inch of the stage until each aspect reached his high standards.

“Our preparations beforehand should prevent any mishaps, and there is very little that must be done during the actual fact. They ought to be fine,” Akashi assured him.

Kuroko hummed softly in his throat, but the tension in his jaw and his hands did not leave. The small gestures of Kuroko’s emotions became more obvious to Akashi at this proximity, and as Kuroko’s gaze left the stage for the boats further out in the water, he guessed at his true concerns.

“Daiki and Taiga will be fine as well.”

Kuroko bit his lip, but he leaned back against Akashi’s warmth and tried to reassure himself of the same. Then sudden flashes of light lit up the stage, and a tall, slim figure strutted from the curtain in the back and raised one hand in the air. The crowd erupted into screams, and the people shifted as if one massive being.

Akashi was worried that Kise’s popularity as a model might not be enough to invoke any kind of crowd, but apparently he underestimated him. A few calls to the right places and advertisements in the ideal spots, and Seattle was abuzz at having such a famous Japanese model in their city. And putting on a concert, too! What great luck.

None of the Americans seemed concerned about how Kise Ryouta escaped the quarantine that supposedly kept Japan under wraps, but Akashi still faked the proper paperwork that explained how Kise had never been exposed to ABO through his high-profile life as a model. Though as he watched the crowd desperately shout and reach for him, he doubted anything would have deterred them from seeing the star.

“Hello, Seattle!” Kise shouted into his microphone in accented English. They had been practicing these lines all week. “I’m so happy to be here! Thank you for coming out tonight, and now let’s have some fun!”

Along with the security and stage, they also hired musicians, for there was no limit to decent backup guitarists and drummers in Seattle. The revenue from the ticket sales more than covered the fees, another pleasant surprise. They even had enough leftover to fund Midorima’s early experiments.

The music immediately bounced into an upbeat, catchy rhythm, and after a few measures, Kise took a deep breath and began.

As it turned out, Kise’s singing voice was very good.

He broke into a popular Japanese song, but the crowd erupted into shrieks and vibrating enthusiasm as if they understood every word. The lights flashed colors - teal, gold, fuchsia - across the stage and Kise, and Akashi was quite satisfied with the overall effect.

Considering they only had a week to put everything together, they made quite the perfect distraction.

“Your idea was brilliant, Tetsuya,” Akashi said.

Once they reached the peak of the ferris wheel, their cart stopped as Akashi had requested. He wanted an unhindered view of their entire system of operations, and like Kuroko suspected, he needed Kuroko far away in case something went wrong. 

When he glanced at Kuroko, the lights that lit up Kise seemed to cast him in shadows. “I only hope Aomine-kun and Kagami-kun are okay,” he murmured.

…

“You idiot, don’t go so fast!”

“You’re the idiot! If you keep going that slow, we’re going to get caught.”

“We’ll only get caught because you’re going too fast to think first.”

Aomine started to reply with an equally cutting remark when Kagami suddenly threw his arm out, and they both halted suddenly. Up ahead, lights flashed, and hundreds of people screamed. They just barely heard Kise’s voice beneath the roar of the crowd as the scent of food reached them with a teasing hint of the festivities that took place not far from them.

The excitement and energy of the concert only made the docks seem more solemn and drab. Only a few lanterns lit up the area where the boats drifted in the slight movement of the water, occasionally tugging on the ropes that tied them to solid ground, but mostly content to wait. Shadows ruled here, and dressed in black from head to toe, Aomine and Kagami were among them.

“This is it, right?” Kagami murmured.

Aomine shook his head. “Satsuki said a little farther. We’re almost to the right ones.”

Though they fought over every little detail of every aspect of life, they operated surprisingly well as a team. Aomine led the way since he had Satsuki’s intel, and Kagami followed while keeping a sharp eye out for any others who might wander the docks at this time of night. Kagami didn’t know Seattle as well as Los Angeles, but he still knew America, and that was enough.

A fisherman performed last minute checks on his vessel, and Kagami paid him no mind. However, when a couple of teenagers swaggered down the walk, Kagami jerked on the back of Aomine’s hoodie and pulled him to crouch among a pile of barrels and fishing nets.

When the kids passed by, a bottle swapping between their hands every now and then, he and Aomine resumed their search. Aomine watched the teenagers head toward the concert like mosquitos drawn to light, and he snorted, “The one problem with holding the concert so close to our target. The risk of being caught by the ones trailing behind or sneaking off.”

“You know, the whole point of this is that the concert is close. They won’t post guards around the boats if there are people around. Too suspicious,” Kagami reminded him.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m just saying there are downsides.”

They passed a few more fishing boats before they finally came across two medium-sized ships that did not stand out in any particular way. If they had been exploring Seattle like any normal couple of tourists, Kagami and Aomine would have never spared them a second glance.

However, as this was not the case, Aomine checked his phone one more time, the screen dimmed, for Satsuki’s instructions and nodded. “These are the ones,” he confirmed.

Kagami’s muscles instantly tensed as if preparing for a fight, and his eyes sharpened. Aomine almost didn’t realize when his own actions mirrored him.

After all, though the concert prevented a noticeable amount of security, they would have to be idiots not to leave a guard or two with the cases of ABO. Akashi left Kagami and Aomine with instructions to burn both the boats with their cargo, but there was a good possibility they may have to restrain a few guards first. Neither of them really talked about it beforehand, but they idly mentioned that they could hold their own in a street fight, and they each carried a knife with them now. Not that they planned to use it for anything but self defense. The idea was to keep the security alive, but unable to stop them from getting ride of the ABO or to identify them later.

There was a reason they were the two chosen for this part of the job.

Kagami and Aomine exchanged glances before they simultaneously nodded and began moving toward the first boat.

…

Tatsuya fought the urge to shield his eyes as Kise danced in the gyrating light. When Akashi first proposed the idea of throwing a concert for a distraction, he almost called the guy crazy. However, he hesitated when everyone else in the room nodded along and listened attentively as if his suggestion was actually plausible.

Throw a whole concert in a week? Advertise and prepare in that time? They were idiots if they thought they could pull that off, even in Seattle.

He supposed he should have known better than to underestimate the great Akashi Seijuro.

Of course, he knew the name, even before Taiga emailed him about his surprise visit complete with uninvited guests. The title Akashi held quite a bit of weight in this world, in certain fields more than others. Tatsuya was well-acquainted with the heir of Rakuzan Hospital, but he never expected to meet him in this way. Not when he was a fugitive from his own family. 

The world is an odd place.

That thought occurred to him more than once as Akashi called advertising agencies and newspapers and even the CEOs of major social networking websites from his kitchen. Apparently, the Akashi name held some weight even without his father’s support. As long as no one actively went against him, Akashi was practically invincible.

Of course, Kise’s name had quite a bit to do with it, too. A sub-culture in Seattle that thrived on the entertainment of Japan and South Korea took the news of Kise’s concert and blew up certain communities on the internet. Somehow, Tatsuya had a feeling that Akashi instigated that as well though he had no idea of how.

The guy had way too much power. Then again, Tatsuya supposed he was hardly one to judge.

Kise barely took a breath before he launched into his next song. Akashi somehow made a temporary contract with Miyano Mamoru, and so Kise mostly learned his lyrics. Though a lot of his negotiating was with similar big names, Akashi knew how to operate in the lower classes as well. The light technicians and musicians were either unemployed or college students who had talent but not necessarily exposure.

He really had an eye for skill.

Tatsuya muffled a sigh and glanced to where Murasakibara stood next to him. The impossibly tall guy leaned against one of the speakers and steadily depleted a bag of chips. The curtain of the portable stage hid them from the crowd, but they were meant to act as damage control in case something went wrong with the technology or if Kise needed help for whatever reason. Akashi covered his tracks well.

“You can’t tell he’s only been practicing a week, can you?” Tatsuya commented.

“Eh? ‘Course not. Ki-chin can learn anything just from seeing it once,” Murasakibara replied before he poured the crumbs of the chip bag into his mouth.

Tatsuya did not really know how to respond to that, and it wasn’t what he really wanted anyway. “You’re surrounded by talented people,” he continued. “Do you honestly think Midorima will develop a cure with only that formula?”

Murasakibara moved so slowly that it took Tatsuya a moment to realize he was nodding. “Mido-chin has been doing experiments since Tao-chin got sick. The formula was just the last bit. He said yesterday that he was close.” Murasakibara yawned so impressively that he did not notice Tatsuya’s eyes widen with surprise. “He’s running out of ingredients though, so when he does figure it out, we’ll need to buy more before he can actually make the cure.”

_Yes_ , Tatsuya thought again. _Akashi really does have an eye for skill._

…

As blue and silver lights splashed across the crowd, the water, the sky, Akashi wondered when exactly things changed. A vague sentiment on its own, for everything had changed. His father shifted from a necessary burden to an active evil, and his singular goal to save his mother certainly faded away into oblivion, only a dull ache now that remained in his chest. While he still kept his companions at a business relationship, even that felt more like a formality. Did mere colleagues follow each other across the ocean?

And Kuroko Tetsuya.

Kise finished a catchy tune about empowerment and immediately launched into a love song. Akashi supposed it was understandable that Kuroko chose that moment to break their silence.

“You’ve done so much, Akashi-kun. For me and for Takao-kun. And the world,” he murmured.

Akashi glanced down to where Kuroko nestled between his arm and chest, and though Kuroko continued to watch the concert, Akashi could see the way the flashing lights sparkled in his eyes. He was so ordinary, especially in a typically American hoodie and jeans, yet he radiated a quality that Akashi had never found in another human being.

“Of course,” Akashi dismissed. “We’ve discussed this. I am only doing what I owe.”

“You’re wrong.”

Even though Akashi was not surprised by Kuroko’s defiance at this point, the blatant protest still startled him. Some occasionally hinted that his choices might not be the best for a particular situation, but no one had ever so bluntly refuted him.

“You’ve gone far beyond what you ‘owe,’” Kuroko continued, and he shifted away from Akashi’s hold just enough to meet his eyes.

Akashi laughed lightly, and he fought the urge to turn away. “Ah, Tetsuya, I did not judge you as one to talk around your point like this.”

A light blush highlighted Kuroko’s cheeks, but he did not let the jibe deter him. That stubbornness would be the death of them both, and Akashi sobered suddenly at the thought. After all, it really might.

“I did not think Akashi-kun was one to shy from his true thoughts either,” Kuroko returned, almost sullenly. He started to lower his eyes, but Akashi gently cupped his cheek to ensure that their gazes did not waver. Kuroko’s lips parted at the intimate gesture, and every place where they touched seemed to burn. The little air between them tensed with energy completely unlike the kind that graced the crowd below them.

In fact, their surroundings suddenly became insignificant despite the heaviness of the events. The shouts of the fans faded with the sound of Kise’s voice, and the flashing lights only served to emphasize the blush across Kuroko’s cheeks and the glimmer of his blue eyes.

“Perhaps, at this point,” Akashi admitted, the words difficult even when he knew that Kuroko already understood. “I am only desperate to save you. I cannot lose you, not like this.”

The blush deepened in color, and Kuroko swallowed. “Akashi-kun, I am not… I am not someone you should go to these extents in order to save.”

“And why not?” Akashi challenged, and heat rose in his voice. “Why are you so determined to consider yourself less important than everyone else? You are kind and generous and intelligent. You have never done anything wrong in this world besides survive when others did not, and I promise you now that this is only a crime in your mind. You deserve every chance at life, and I will do everything in my power to give them to you.”

Akashi leaned closer as he spoke, and now only a breath separated them. With one arm wrapped around him and the other hand holding his face, Akashi had never felt so protective of one person in his entire life. Kuroko claimed he had gone beyond in his actions, but he did not understand that Akashi would go even further.

“Tetsuya,” Akashi whispered between them. “I think I am falling for you. More and more each day.”

Kuroko’s breath hitched in his throat. “You should not… I am…”

“A beautiful, magnificent person,” Akashi finished. “I am well aware that you are sick, and that is my fault. I hesitate to make promises to you when I broke our last one, but Kuroko Tetsuya, I swear that you will recover, and I will make you happy. Even if that means leaving you to whatever life you wish and fading into the background, I will do so.”

“No, I do not wish you to disappear from my life. If you want to make me happy, then stay with me and be happy as well. You lecture me for guilt over surviving when I know you feel the same,” Kuroko returned.

Akashi smiled softly, sadly. “You see right through me.”

“I do, and I care for you all the same.”

No lyrics could describe the emotions that encompassed them in that moment, Kuroko in Akashi’s arms, the stars peeking out from an endlessly ebony sky.

…

Nothing made sense.

Aomine and Kagami entered the first ship with wary eyes and sharp reflexes, but no masked men jumped from the shadows. In fact, no men made an appearance at all. They searched every corner of both ships, and they found not a single person.

They also found no sign of the cases of ABO that were supposed to be here in wait to be shipped. No boxes, no packages, nothing at all that could be the vials that contained the deadly virus.

Aomine checked his messages with Satsuki twice, but her information indicated that these two ships were the vessels the pharmaceutical company owned for the specific purpose of shipping the ABO to other parts of the world, something scheduled to take place in a week.

“I don’t get it,” Aomine all but roared. They stood on the dock now and glared at the two ships that really were nothing out of the ordinary. “The damned virus should be here. Satsuki’s never wrong!”

Kagami grit his teeth and clenched his fists, but the swirling pool of apprehension in his stomach did not lessen. Ever since they went to the bottom of the first ship to find nothing at all, a thought had waved for his attention from the back of his mind, but he did not want to truly deliberate on it or even acknowledge that it existed. 

But as Aomine ranted and raved over his confusion and anger, Kagami realized denial would do them no good here.

“Do you…” When Aomine turned those blazing eyes to him, Kagami cleared his throat and forced himself to continue.

“Do you think they knew we were coming?”

…

Kuroko realized that this moment was a long time coming. Perhaps from the moment he first heard Akashi Seijuro’s name, their lives rocketed in a way that eventually led down this path. Even while he felt the inevitability of it all, the nervous excitement still surged through his veins as they drew closer… and closer…

Akashi’s crimson eyes smoldered in the flashing lights, but while the gaze once entrapped and paralyzed him, Kuroko now recognized the warmth and compassion within them.

“Tetsuya,” Akashi murmured. “May I?”

“Yes, please,” Kuroko breathed.

Their lips finally - finally - met, and when fireworks exploded across the sky, Kuroko only thought the event fitting. Searing red, vibrant indigo, glowing yellow, emboldened violet, and impassioned green soared through the midnight stars, and then a stream of pale blue, small at first but gaining strength, exploded into a glittering enigma that shone brighter than them all. The whole sky cast a plethora of light on the crowd below.

When Akashi drew back just enough to let them breathe, he smiled softly, and Kuroko responded in kind. Their noses brushed against each other, and their breaths mingled in the small space between them.

The fireworks were Kise’s grand finale. The concert was over.

However, nothing existed in their world but the two of them. Akashi’s arms moved to wrap around Kuroko’s slender waist, and Kuroko clasped his hands behind Akashi’s neck, gently pulling him closer until their mouths slotted against each other again. And again.

The lights below them long went dark, and the crowd slowly dispersed until only a few diehard fans lingered on the streets, but time barely existed. They might have continued in this way forever if not for…

Akashi’s phone began to ring.

They broke apart, and an identical blush lit up both their cheeks as they realized what still took place around them. Concert, distraction, mission. Significant things that should not have faded from their minds, and yet how could they not have when feelings burned within them in this way?

Nevertheless, Kuroko scooted a few inches away to give them both time to cool down, and Akashi fished his phone from his pocket.

“Yes?” he answered.

His eyes widened, and Kuroko stared at him with rising fear in his stomach. Suddenly, the light feelings from before shriveled, and only cold anticipation took their place. How could they have forgotten how high the stakes were?

“I understand. I will contact Satsuki. You and Taiga return to Tatsuya’s home. Make sure you are not followed. The rest of us will take separate routes. I will ensure Tetsuya’s safety.”

Akashi snapped his phone closed, and before Kuroko could demand information, he sighed and relayed, “That was Daiki. They are both safe, but something… something has gone wrong.”

…

Kise, Murasakibara, and Tatsuya returned home first, for they followed the plan as previously instructed. They had taken care of gathering the last minute ticket sales and returning the rented equipment, and they entered Tatsuya’s home in high spirits. Kise babbled about the concert until Midorima threatened to kick him out and Takao roared with laughter that quickly turned into coughing. Then Midorima really did send them all out of Takao’s room and into the living room.

They had no idea something was amiss until Aomine and Kagami returned with slowed steps and stress lines around their mouths.

Kise’s smile faded, and Murasakibara paused in his snacking. Tatsuya raised a single eyebrow while Midorima suddenly stood from the reclining chair, previously only resting because Takao napped in his room.

“What has happened?” Midorima demanded.

Aomine and Kagami exchanged glances before they briefly explained the lack of security but also the lack of ABO or any sign of it. Somewhere during the story, they both collapsed on the couch, clearly exhausted from the undertaking and emotional toll of it all. Not to mention returning here while making sure no tails followed them.

“So what, everything we did was for nothing?” Kise said.

“What will you do now?” Tatsuya asked.

Aomine shrugged. “Akashi will think of a plan, and we’ll follow his orders.”

“Where is Aka-chin and Kuro-chin?” Murasakibara drawled.

Kagami’s fists clenched. While he understood the necessity of this alliance between them all, he never liked the idea of letting Kuroko out in the field, even with Akashi. Perhaps especially with Akashi.

“Kuroko better be safe,” he grumbled.

“If he’s with Akashi, he’s fine,” Midorima dismissed. However, the stress impressed deep lines into his forehead, and he kept adjusting his glasses. The long days and nights had taken their toll on him, but the young doctor refused to focus on anything but Takao’s care and the pursuit of a cure. He only ate when Murasakibara left him quick meals outside his lab, and his sleep came only in short spontaneous naps.

The tension between the five of them left the room choking until the door finally opened and closed, and the two people on everyone’s minds walked into the living room. Once they assessed that Kuroko’s condition was no worse than before, all eyes went to Akashi who gave away nothing of his thoughts.

“I just spoke to Satsuki,” he began. “The data on the pharmaceutical computer has changed, and the shipments of ABO were sent out two days ago. It is possible that Shintarou’s and my visit tipped them off, but we are still investigating reasons for why this would happen.”

The news sent a tremor in all of them, and Kagami helped Kuroko sit down on the couch before he fainted away. Everyone else looked vaguely sick as well, but Akashi held onto his calm facade with every bit of his willpower.

“The bioweapon is on its way to at least three different countries,” Akashi continued. “Prevention is no longer available to us.”

“Then what can we do?” Kise asked. His stage makeup that highlighted his beauty on stage now looked smeared and sad. He still wore skinny jeans and a stylish vest, but even that lost its glamour in the desperation of the atmosphere that now surrounded them. 

Rather than answer, Akashi turned to Midorima. “How’s your progress?” he inquired.

Midorima adjusted his glasses once more before he finally answered, “I was hoping to reveal this tonight, perhaps as a celebration, but I see now that our situation as a whole has hardly improved.”

“What do you mean, Mido-chin?” Murasakibara urged.

“After nearly a year of experiments and calculations and further experiments with the formula, I believe I finally have a cure. A counter-formula that should counteract the denaturing of the blood cells. I only need to restock my supplies in order to make the cure,” Midorima revealed.

“Then the concert wasn’t wasted after all,” Kise gushed, finally perking up. “The last-minute ticket sales added up to more than enough to restock your lab!”

Kuroko smiled weakly, and he said, “Congratulations, Midorima-kun. Your hard work has paid off.”

Kuroko’s gesture opened the way to others, and Kise nearly tackled Midorima in a hug, and Aomine patted him on the back. Murasakibara and Kagami nodded their approval, and Tatsuya offered a strained smile. Even Akashi finally broke his military-like poise to smile softly at the young doctor he chose so long ago.

“We never doubted you, Shintarou,” Akashi said.

Midorima clearly would have preferred to avoid all the attention as the blush on his cheeks indicated. He nearly broke his glasses in his efforts to unnecessarily adjusted them, and he forcefully huffed, “I know I can save Takao and Kuroko now. The formula and data is on my computer.” Even when he tried to continue professionally, everyone noticed the obvious relief on his face at those words. For so long the life of his best friend hung in the air, and now he finally had the power to save him. Still, Midorima forced himself to finish, “However, I cannot test long-term effects without further experimentation.”

“Who cares as long as we save their lives now?” Aomine pointed out.

“I know I have trust in you, and I am sure Takao-kun does as well,” Kuroko agreed.

“Yes, well,” Midorima said. “That does not help the countries that are about to suffer their own plague of ABO.”

“However, it is a start. We may have lost the preventive battle, but we are not defeated yet,” Akashi said. Though he stood the shortest besides Kuroko, he commanded the attention of everyone in the room. Every pair of eyes watched him for his next move, and such a surge of loyalty connected them all that there was no question that they would do whatever Akashi declared.

“Shintarou, we will obtain the supplies you need as soon as possible. Once Kazunari and Tetsuya are certain to be cured, we will begin mass-producing your formula to Japan and whatever other countries are infected by then,” Akashi decided.

“Shouldn’t we try to tell someone about this? That America is basically declaring war on everyone,” Kagami pointed out. He spoke to Akashi but then turned for the silent opinion of Tatsuya who only shrugged in response.

Oddly enough, Akashi only offered the smallest of smirks. “With time,” he promised.

“They have made their move. Now we declare war from the shadows.”


	13. A Bitter Betrayal Between Inevitability and Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which nothing goes as planned.

Kuroko woke to shouts and crashes.

When he sat up, his head spun, and a thick narcolepsy lugged through his veins and nearly sent him falling back into the pillow. Then another loud bang sounded quickly followed by more yells, and Kuroko forced himself to swing his legs over the edge of the mattress. The dizziness hit him with renewed force when he stood, and he swayed for a moment before he found his center of gravity.

The symptoms were getting worse. He would never mention them to Akashi or the others, but he could feel the disease eating away at his insides more and more each day. Now, however, was not the time to mull on that.

One foot in front of the other, he forced himself to leave his bedroom and slip into the hallway. The noises grew louder, and Kuroko could only describe the entire situation as chaos. Metallic grounding and glass shattering dominated his senses, but he caught a few of the garbled shouts as well.

“-are you doing?!”

“Someone, help!”

“Enough!”

Fear ripped through him like an electric shock as he realized that the source of all the noises was Takao’s bedroom. Then he heard the choking and coughing, and his feet lurched into action before his thoughts properly caught up with him. Kuroko might have stumbled into the room blind if Aomine hadn’t placed a heavy hand on his shoulder and pulled him back.

“Tetsu, you need to go,” he said. For once Aomine’s eyes sharpened with awareness rather than the indifferent attitude that normally permeated his being.

“Aomine-kun, what’s happening?”

Kuroko might have asked more, but more shouting suddenly rose from the bedroom. If the yelling and crashing and Aomine’s seriousness had not alerted Kuroko to the direness of the situation, he certainly knew now.

“Look, Tetsu, things are getting complicated, and it’s about to get messy.”

As if Aomine summoned him, suddenly a figure burst from Takao’s room with rustled hair and near panic twisting his features. Kuroko did not know what he expected from the noise, but it certainly had not been Himuro Tatsuya fleeing the bedroom with his clothes a mess and a bruise darkening under his left eye. A stream of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Aomine shifted as if he meant to follow after him, but Kagami’s athletic figure already took chase. Tatsuya had a head start, and Kuroko watched as he pushed past them and fled out the front door of his own house, but no one matched Kagami for physical prowess. In a flash of red hair and black basketball shorts Kagami followed Tatsuya out of the house.

“Where is Kagami-kun… and Himuro-kun…?” The dizziness hit Kuroko again, and he swayed a moment before Aomine steadied him with a second hand on his other shoulder.

At that moment Kise and Akashi exited the bedroom, Kise clutching his arm, and Akashi’s already strained expression tightened more when he spotted Kuroko. Rather than address him immediately, Akashi lifted his eyes to Aomine. “Himuro Tatsuya?” he inquired.

“He left the house. Kagami is after him. I just woke up Murasakibara, so he can help us deal with him when Kagami brings him back,” Aomine relayed.

Akashi nodded slowly. “Kagami Taiga will not let us enforce justice on his adopted brother, so I highly doubt he will return Himuro Tatsuya to us, but he will take what information we need to protect Tetsuya. We can trust him in this matter.”

“And we’re just going to let him go?” Aomine challenged, heat rising in his voice. “After everything? He’s screwed us all over! He might have killed Takao!”

Kuroko jerked from Aomine’s hold, and his wide-eyed gaze flitted back and forth between Aomine and Akashi. “Takao-kun? How could Himuro-kun have…?”

At last Akashi met Kuroko’s tearful gaze, and the military-like presence softened into something too close to sympathy. Kuroko would not have believed his own senses if he did not see the fiery determination just behind Akashi’s poise.

“Tetsuya, I am afraid Himuro Tatsuya has betrayed us. We would never have known, but Kazunari entered critical condition this morning. His shouts alerted us, and we found Tatsuya in his room, wiping Shintarou’s computer. Destroying his notes and samples. He erased all evidence of every one of Shintarou’s experiments.

“His cure… it’s gone.”

…

Blood roared in Kagami’s ears. Wave after wave of rage and confusion and a deep hurt somewhere at his very core crashed over him in a way that would have knocked him down if he wasn’t running. The exercise was good. He focused on pumping his legs and monitoring his breathing, and as long as he was moving, he did not have to think.

But eventually he would catch up to Tatsuya, and all those thoughts and emotions would come snapping into place.

Tatsuya obviously knew this neighborhood better than Kagami, but unlike the rambunctious streets of Los Angeles where they grew up, alleys and abandoned buildings did not abundantly offer themselves as hiding places. The prestigious mansions and picketed fences appeared pleasant, but they also held security systems that did not allow Tatsuya to duck in their tight corners. Even though he had a head start on him, Kagami still caught sight of his brother’s dark hair and slender form almost immediately.

Guilt gnawed at the edges of Kagami’s thoughts as he let Tatsuya leave the manicured rows of his neighborhood and enter into a middle-class suburban area. Kagami did not want unnecessary attention anymore than Tatsuya did, so he subtly gained speed until they reached a park meant for children.

So early in the morning, only a few devoted joggers braved the asphalt track around the border, and with headphones blaring music into their ears, they did not even notice when Kagami tackled Tatsuya to the ground between a swing set and a slide.

The breath left Tatsuya’s lungs in a heavy wheeze, but he still struggled even when Kagami turned him on his back and straddled his stomach. He held Tatsuya’s wrists to his chest with both hands, and the position cruelly reminded Kagami of when they used to wrestle like this as kids. Tatsuya usually won those fights. Kagami only just started to gain the upper hand right before he left to return to Japan.

“Let go, Taiga,” Tatsuya hissed. His normally apathetic expression melted away into a fury that did not quite mask his panic.

“Let go?” Kagami repeated in a feral growl. “Do you even realize what you did? How could you do that? I don’t understand at all!”

Tatsuya seemed to realize that he only wasted energy by prolonging his struggle, so he ceased his movements, but the glare in his eyes only strengthened. “Look, Taiga, you shouldn’t have gotten involved with those guys. Didn’t you say they tricked you and your friend? Why do you even care about them?”

Kagami often asked himself those questions, too. Sometimes he looked at himself in the mirror, and he wondered how the hell he ended up in Seattle with a bunch of psychos who apparently stole blood and used it to experiment for a cure that would save Japan. Not to mention that one of those psychos kidnapped his best friend and happened to have a father who orchestrated the entire plague. He couldn’t exactly credit Akashi with his dad’s actions, but he sure as hell gave him full blame for manipulating Kuroko.

So why did he follow them to Seattle? Sure, the obvious reason was that Kuroko was now sick, and this was their best chance at saving him. But besides that… Kagami remembered that phone call. The sheer panic in Kise’s voice as he explained Kuroko’s condition. The frantic shouts in the background.

When he reached the airplane hangar, he saw it, too. Even Akashi, a man Kagami never glimpsed looking anything less than relaxed and confident, moved jerkily, and though he tried to hide it, Kagami noticed how his fingers trembled.

They loved Kuroko as much as he did. And that made them all right in his book.

Plus, he’d grown kind of attached to Aomine and the others over their time together. Not that he would admit it to anyone, even himself. So when Kagami chased his adopted brother down, it wasn’t just to demand answers. It was fury. No one endangered those he cared about, and Tatsuya’s actions definitely crossed that line.

“What does that matter?” Kagami retorted. “You destroyed nearly a year’s worth of research, and now Kuroko and Takao might _die_.”

The slightest hint of regret flashed across Tatsuya’s face, but sheer determination quickly replaced it. “People die, Taiga. That’s the way the world works.”

“How could you say that? I don’t understand!” Kagami snarled.

Tatsuya sighed as if Kagami was the one being unreasonable here. “Taiga, you’re my brother, and no matter what you think, that still does mean something to me. You need to get out of here. Take Kuroko and leave Seattle. In about an hour the American FBI is going to swoop down on my house and take everyone there into custody. You better go before that happens.”

“What? But why-?”

Tatsuya huffed, “Taiga, I work for Rakuzan and Pandora Pharmaceuticals. I’m the representative that Masaomi Akashi used to sell ABO to the Americans. How do you think I could afford that house?”

Even though his words formed grammatically correct sentences, Kagami did not understand any of it. None of this made sense anymore, and he wanted to shake Tatsuya until he was himself again because how could he say such things? Surely, the brother who grew up with him would not commit these monstrosities… There had to be a mistake…

“Taiga, listen to me. You can take me back there, but nothing will change. Your friends will be arrested and taken into custody, and I’ll go back to work the next day. You can stick around for that to happen, or you can let me go and save yourself and Kuroko.”

Kagami blinked slowly, and a sob hitched in his voice. “But what about the others?”

The poker face returned, and Tatsuya’s eyes were cold. “Leave them. The Americans will let you and Kuroko go - you’re just tagalongs in this whole thing - but Akashi and the others hold too much power, and they know too much. The Americans will never let them leave the country alive.”

“Were you planning this all along?” Kagami hissed, and his grip tightened around Tatsuya’s wrists. “Even when you invited us to stay in your house, were you always going to betray us?”

Tatsuya’s eyes softened into something like sympathy, and Kagami never felt such a strong urge to punch someone, not even when he thought the Vampires had killed Kuroko.

“I always knew this was a possibility,” Tatsuya admitted. “I hoped that Akashi’s followers were not as strong as rumors said and that they were nowhere close to finding a cure. If they were just helpless rebels, the Americans could have left them alone. But when they actually made a cure, I had no choice. I called the company this morning, and they ordered me to destroy all the research. Then they called the FBI. The only reason it’s taking this long is that they’re working on a coverup to make this whole ordeal look like a drug operation - which, now that I think about it, I suppose it is.”

Kagami stared into Tatsuya’s eyes. Searching for what, he did not know, but after a moment, he released Tatsuya and stood. 

“Are you going to take Kuroko and run? I really didn’t want you to get into trouble, Taiga,” Tatsuya implored from his position on the ground.

Kagami did not even look at him. “That’s none of your business. I’m going back to your house. I suggest you stay far away from there… Himuro.”

…

Akashi drifted through the house like a general on a battlefield, one in which a terrible loss took place, only blood and broken weapons remaining.

Every one of his mistakes flashed through his mind. The familiar ones from the past and now the recent additions all merged together in a horrific never-ending reel. From beginning to end.

_As soon as Akashi heard Takao’s cry for help, sleep left him, and he shot up in bed. A crash pierced through the walls followed by another choked shout from Takao, and he felt himself starting to detach._

_His mind gently probed at the split within himself, and though he feared what that meant, heavy anticipation pricked his nerves. A coldness that had nothing to do with the temperature seeped into his bones, and Akashi immediately left his borrowed bedroom. He hurried down to Takao’s room, and when he passed through the doorway, he saw blood and betrayal, and the dissociation hit him like lightning._

_Sudden, electric, complete._

_“Himuro Tatsuya,” Akashi said, and his voice was absolute. Tatsuya froze in the force of Akashi’s glare, Midorima’s laptop still in his hands. Around him, Midorima’s notes were ripped the shreds, and the vials of blood and samples had been moved from their original shelves to where Tatsuya could easily reach them._

_On the other side of the room Takao coughed with all the strength in his tiny body. Blood that began as small stains in the palm of his hand suddenly drenched his blankets, and though pain had to ricochet through him, he still frantically called for help._

_Midorima arrived mere seconds after Akashi, but unlike him, he barely spared Tatsuya or his ruined research a glance before he rushed to Takao’s side._

_“Takao, enough. Stop screaming. You will only make yourself worse. Lean back. Cough into this.” The short orders gave the illusion of control, but everyone in the room saw the panic in him just barely held together by pure force of will._

_While the doctor tended to his patient, Akashi only had eyes for the enemy in front of him. Kagami and Kise arrived behind Akashi just as he declared, “Himuro Tatsuya, explain yourself.”_

_“Tatsuya, what-?”_

_Before Kagami completed his question, Tatsuya took Midorima’s laptop and slammed it into the floor, the device cracking in two, pieces flying to all corners of the room. Kagami and Kise both lunged forward to stop him, but Tatsuya already swiped every single vial of blood and chemicals into the floor. Glass shattered, and dripping liquids splashed onto the bottoms of their pants._

_Aomine burst through the door at that moment, crying, “What are you doing?”_

_“Someone, help!” Kise yelled as he caught Tatsuya by his arms. The brief hold might have kept him in place, but Tatsuya grabbed an only partially broken vial and jabbed the sharp end into Kise’s arm. He cried out, and Tatsuya wriggled away from him._

_“Enough,” Akashi hissed, and though he did not raise his voice, the word echoed through the room. Significantly less force accompanied his next order. “Daiki, go wake the others. We will sort this all out immediately. Kagami Taiga, restrain him.”_

_Gambling that Tatsuya would not harm his adopted brother, Akashi watched as Aomine left, Kise cradled his bleeding arm, and Kagami took Tatsuya in a hold similar to what Kise attempted. Takao still coughed heavily, but now that he ceased screaming, Midorima helped him regain control. The doctor now offered him small cups of medication that seemed to help though blood still colored the cloth that Takao held to his mouth._

_Assessing that Midorima properly handled Takao for now, Akashi returned his attention to the traitor. “Himuro Tatsuya, do you realize what you have done?”_

_“My job,” Tatsuya hissed. With a sudden movement, he jerked backward and pushed Kagami into the wall. The force stunned Kagami just enough for Tatsuya to break free and sprint for the exit, shoving aside Midorima’s work tables as he did._

_Akashi watched as the traitor disappeared from the room, Kagami running after him. Only the shattered remains of Midorima’s research and the heavy coughs of Takao remained._

Now Midorima refused to leave Takao’s side. Akashi drifted into the bedroom where they stayed, and he could understand why. The small boy appeared frailer than ever. His skin was ghostly pale, and his whole body shook if he so much as lifted a hand. When Akashi and Midorima exchanged glances, they both thought the same thing. He looked like his mother just moments before she fell into seizures. Just before Kuroko volunteered.

They were running out of time.

Akashi left the two in Takao’s bedroom. There was no salvaging the broken remains of Midorima’s research, so everyone else moved to the living room. Aomine and Kise updated Murasakibara on what took place that morning, and all three sat quietly on the couch or in recliners. Mournfully silent.

The only movement took place when Kise slowly wrapped his arm with bandages where Tatsuya had stabbed him.

When Akashi glanced over them all, his eyes settled on one figure in particular. Kuroko still wore his pajamas, and no one bothered to fix the mess that was his bed hair. He stared at nothing from his curled position in a chair meant for the frivolous pastime of watching television. Only, Kuroko looked far from relaxed.

Akashi sat on the footrest in front of the chair and gently placed a hand on Kuroko’s knee to gain his attention. “Are you okay?” he murmured, perhaps unnecessarily. The other three paid them no attention, too caught up in their own thoughts.

Kuroko lifted his gaze to Akashi’s with a heaviness that spoke of his grief. “How is Takao-kun?” he asked.

“Shintarou has stabilized him for now,” Akashi relayed.

“For now,” Kuroko repeated.

Akashi’s eyes softened, and he swallowed before continuing, “Listen, Tetsuya-”

“We need to get out of here now!”

Everyone except Akashi jumped at the sudden loud voice, but Kagami gave them no time to adjust. “Hey, this is serious,” he continued, panic clear in his eyes. He gestured to the door with his hands. “Himuro has been working for that pharmaceutical company this whole time. If we don’t leave now, the FBI is going to be swooping in, and they’re probably not going to let you guys off lightly.”

“The fucking FBI?” Aomine snapped.

“Aka-chin, where can we go?” Murasakibara asked, always turning to Akashi first. Actually, they all did. Kagami, Aomine, and Kise looked to him as well, and when Akashi glanced down, Kuroko’s gaze shined with ultimate trust.

All of them put their lives in his hands. This was his responsibility, and now was not the time to let his own weakness ruin everything again. Akashi probed at the split inside him, and he allowed the switch.

“Daiki, Atsushi, help Shintarou prepare Kazunari for travel and everything he will need to treat him. Taiga, Tetsuya is in your care. Carry him if required, but ensure that he does not strain himself. I will rent a vehicle. Prepare to depart in under ten minutes.”

Akashi could tell that Kagami wanted to point out that renting a vehicle in less than ten minutes was hardly plausible, but nine minutes later, they all loaded inside an SUV.

Midorima held Takao in his arms in the back with Kise, and Murasakibara and Aomine sat in the middle. Akashi drove, and Kagami held Kuroko in his arms in the passenger’s seat. Kuroko protested, but one look from Akashi silenced him. They loaded what little supplies they had in the trunk, but after Tatsuya’s tirade, they possessed almost nothing.

They departed from Tatsuya’s home about twelve minutes after Kagami returned.

“Akashicchi,” Kise addressed hesitantly from the back. “Where are we going?”

Akashi knew English well enough to use the road signs to navigate his way out of Seattle. He drove rather efficiently for someone who generally used chauffeurs in the past. However, they had not discussed a destination.

“Can we not fly somewhere else?” Aomine asked.

“Back to Japan?” Murasakibara suggested.

“And how will returning to Japan benefit us?” Midorima snapped. “Akashi’s father will not welcome our return.”

“We cannot fly at the moment,” Akashi cut off their bickering. “Our location has been compromised, and I imagine FBI agents are waiting for us to return to the plane if they are already surrounding Tatsuya’s house. Taiga, can you tell me everything that you learned?”

Kagami quickly recited everything that Tatsuya told him, and the appropriate hisses of anger accompanied the news that Tatsuya had been working for Masaomi Akashi and the Americans all along. For a moment Aomine acted as if he would jump from the vehicle then and there, but Akashi quieted them enough to hear the rest of the story. Kagami tried to gloss over how he returned for all of them when Tatsuya only suggested saving Kuroko, but everyone noticed anyway and grew sober with the realization.

The eight of them in this vehicle plus Momoi Satsuki in Japan could only truly rely on one another. They learned their lesson about trusting an outside source, but they at least knew now that they would not betray each other.

“We will stay on the road for now,” Akashi decided after Kagami finished his tale. “This is the safest option until we determine a plan of action.”

Everyone seemed to find satisfaction with his words, and the next ten miles passed in silence. Then Kagami finally looked up from where he had been texting on his phone for the past minutes, “Can you go to LA? My dad lives there. A mentor of mine, too. They can help us. They won’t betray us like-”

Kagami suddenly looked out the window, but everyone, even Kuroko who sat in such close proximity, allowed him a moment to collect himself.

“Anyway, I’ll help you get there,” he managed. “It’s not much, but it’s a place to go.”

Akashi’s initial reaction was to cut down such a suggestion, but another notion tugged at his mind. Perhaps it was time to step down, to allow the switch back. Absolute decision would not help in this delicate time. They needed finesse and subtlety. If he was going to save Tetsuya - and he would save Tetsuya - he needed to collect every ounce of his wits and resources.

And he did trust the people in this vehicle.

“That will suffice. Can you look up the proper roads on your phone?”

The surprise on Kagami’s face did not escape Akashi, but he chose to ignore it. If relying on others would help Kuroko, then these were the actions he would take. 

He had already failed him too many times. This final betrayal was the last straw. He was supposed to be the leader, the one the others could rely on to see them through, but what had Akashi done? Dragged them to America only to let the shipments of ABO slip away to some other foreign country. Now the cure that Midorima worked so hard for lay scattered on the floor of an empty mansion because Akashi could not spot a traitor for what he was.

He was the leader, and every bit of this was his fault. In his desperate journey to make things right, he only continued to spiral them down into despair.

As Akashi changed lanes to follow Kagami’s instructions, he glanced at Kuroko. Takao now slept in Midorima’s lap, only coughing occasionally, but Kuroko stared at the roads with an empty look in his eyes.

Perhaps he grew weary of his failures, too.

Last night Akashi told Kuroko he was falling for him, and that was true. The kiss they shared with fireworks bursting in the background should have been the beginning of something beautiful, but rather than relive the moment over and over again in the hours of the night, Akashi could only wonder why the ABO shipments had been missing. He supposed he knew now. Tatsuya must have suggested to the pharmaceutical company that they send the ships early once he learned of what they planned to do.

Even now, Akashi wanted to wrap his arms around Kuroko and comfort him. Kiss him gently again. However, his responsibilities called to him first. Besides, Kuroko deserved someone who could actually keep promises to him.

But Akashi had not broken this one yet, and he did not plan to.

They had been driving for two hours in silence except for Kagami’s occasional navigations, so almost everyone startled when Akashi suddenly said, “Shintarou, do you remember enough to recreate the formula for your cure in a timely manner?”

The tension in the vehicle was almost palpable when Midorima finally answered, “There is no need. My laptop and notes might have been destroyed, but I sent the formula to Momoi last night in case something happened. I did not imagine circumstances such as these, but as the saying goes, man proposes. God disposes.”

“The cure’s not lost?” Kuroko repeated, suddenly rising from his thrall. 

“And why did you wait this long to reveal this?” Akashi questioned.

“Seriously, you had us all worried sick!” Aomine declared while Kise nodded empathetically.

Midorima adjusted his glasses as he glared at them all from the backseat. “I rather had other pressing matters on my mind,” he hissed, gesturing to where Takao slept. “I planned to retrieve my formula from Momoi and make the cure as soon as we stopped.” Midorima’s eyes and tone softened as he glanced down to the man in his arms. “There’s not a lot of time left.”

“Then there’s no way we can go all the way to LA,” Kagami protested. “We need to find somewhere now. The drive from Seattle is almost twenty hours.”

“I do not know the geography of America,” Midorima snipped.

“Where can we go though?” Murasakibara inserted.

“Everyone, silence,” Akashi ordered, and though the vehicle went quiet, he still marveled that they listened to him after everything. “Taiga, can you find a hotel nearby? Daiki, contact Satsuki in code and have her send the formula. Shintarou, use the remaining funds from the concert to order what you need. Kazunari and Tetsuya are our priorities now, and we need a cure as fast as possible.”

“I’ll have my dad and my mentor - her name’s Alex - meet us wherever we stop. They can help us leave America. It’s not really safe here for us anymore,” Kagami added.

Akashi nodded his approval even while he kept his eyes on the road. He focused on driving safely, for he held precious lives in his hands.

Perhaps it was a mistake to assume he could wage outright war. He was only one person, but he was supported by the best in the world, and he knew it. They all knew it. Perhaps now was the time to utilize that in a way he would not allow himself before.

Akashi glanced to Kuroko again, and he wondered if perhaps subtlety and determination were the way after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter, I couldn't figure out why no one seemed to trust me anymore. Now I kind of get it ^_^'
> 
> Just a small warning, finals are coming up, so I may be suspiciously absent. However, there are only two chapters left, and my goal is to post them before the end of December.
> 
> I hope you are all having wonderful days/nights/weeks! Thank you for reading!


	14. A Brief Reprieve Between Safety and Danger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which some things go well but happy endings are still on the horizon. Just one more chapter to go!

Kagami waited in a hotel lobby with a styrofoam cup of coffee in his hands. The decor was decent but not exquisite which really described the entire establishment. While Akashi and Midorima both refused to keep their patients in a slummy motel, they also needed to act smart with the money they made from Kise’s concert, especially with medical supplies to buy. This economy-style hotel was a compromise.

As far as Kagami was concerned, the place offered free coffee all day long, and that was good enough for him. Maybe not the best blend in the world, but he sipped the black liquid thankfully and kept his eyes trained on the parking lot outside.

The receptionist occasionally cast him curious glances, but he supposed hotels witnessed all sorts of odd situations. Kagami guessed the circumstances surrounding him and his companions were the oddest, but he hoped the people who worked here never learned that.

An SUV with tented windows pulled into the parking lot, and Kagami recognized the driver immediately. Trying to keep his casual aura intact, he crumpled the empty cup, tossed it in the trash, and then exited the lobby. He followed the SUV to the parking lot off the side of the hotel, but as soon as the driver’s door opened, he dropped all pretenses and let himself fall into his father’s embrace.

“Taiga,” his father murmured. “I’ve missed you, son. I’m so happy to see you… though I wish it was under better circumstances.”

“I’ve missed you, too, Dad,” Kagami replied. After the quarantine over Japan separated his father from him indefinitely, he started to fear that he would never see him again. An irrational fear, but the reality around him sometimes gave him doubt, especially during long nights when he heard hacking coughs and rustling feet from outside his apartment.

His father actually stood an inch shorter than him now, but Kagami still found comfort in his arms and in the familiar minty scent that filled his nose. He was grown in his own right, but after everything that had happened recently, he thought he deserved this fleeting reprieve.

Fleeting indeed.

“Yo, Taiga, aren’t you going to say hi to your master?”

Kagami pulled back from his father and quickly took in the sight of his old mentor, blond hair, green glasses, and all. She’d walked around from the passenger’s seat while he hugged his father, and now she held out her arms in anticipation.

Before Kagami could make a move, she grew tired of waiting and threw her arms around him and pressed him into her chest with a force that rivaled even Aomine on the court. “Ah, Taiga, I missed you so much! I’m so happy to see you!” she cried.

Kagami tried to reply, but just a few muffled words escaped his mouth. Only when Kagami’s father cleared his throat did Alex finally release him. “Sorry about that,” she apologized, rubbing the back of her neck. “But it’s been a while!”

“Yes, it has,” his father agreed, turning serious. “Are your friends inside, Taiga?”

Kagami nodded grimly. “Thank you guys for meeting us here. We planned to go to LA, but Takao, the guy besides Kuroko who has ABO, is in pretty bad condition. He’s had seizures, and he’s coughing up more blood. We decided to check in here, so he can remain as stable as possible, and Midorima, the scientist, is working on his cure.”

His father nodded slowly, and a grimace made him seem older than he was. “It’s probably for the best. As I was packing up, I noticed a few men watching the house. I can’t be sure, but if you said Tatsuya was working for this company, he might have told them about your connection to LA. I’m almost certain those men were agents.”

“Dad,” Kagami gasped. “That’s crazy. Did they make any sort of move?”

He shook his head. “I acted as if I was going to work like any other day, but then detoured to pick up Alex. We’ve been driving nonstop until now.”

Kagami nodded slowly. “I’m glad you’re out of harm’s way at least. Here, let’s go inside. You can meet everyone, and you can tell them… well, have you thought of any ideas?” he asked suddenly. Though he asked them both for help in returning everyone to Japan, he had not spoken to them since then. They’d agreed to keep contact to a minimum in case the Americans monitored the networks.

He alternated his gaze between his father and his mentor, and Alex’s whole face lit up with a mischievous smile. She winked and offered a thumbs up. “Don’t worry, I have you covered, Taiga. My friends in the WNBA haven’t completely abandoned me,” she promised.

Kagami nodded gratefully. He didn’t need details. If Alex said she found a way, he believed her. “You can explain the plan to everyone else once we manage to get them all in one place.”

Kagami led his father and Alex up to the fourth floor where they had bought three rooms all in a line. Midorima and Takao occupied the first by themselves. Takao stayed in bed, and when he had a coughing fit, Midorima flew to his side in less than a second. Almost none of them were allowed to visit him as he barely possessed the strength to keep his eyes open now, but during the few times Midorima ventured outside, he assured them that he would manage until he completed the cure.

As for the cure itself, Midorima ordered his supplies online and requested the fastest possible shipping. As soon as they arrived, he worked nonstop with the formula that Momoi sent him. The last that they heard, he was almost finished.

The second room housed Aomine, Kise, and Murasakibara who spent most of their time either going on food runs or Skyping Momoi in order to determine the most likely destinations of the shipments of ABO that the Americans sent. Though Momoi managed remarkable feats with her computer skills, she was still not entirely certain of the plans of the Americans.

Kagami took his father and Alex to the second room where he quickly introduced everyone. He meant to direct the conversation immediately to their plans once Midorima completed his cure, but Aomine interrupted him.

“You were in the WNBA, right? Did you really teach Kagami all your tricks?” he blurted out. His eyes sparkled in a way that only happened when basketball was related.

“Aominecchi, is this really the time?” Kise whined, and then his gaze truly registered Alex, and his eyes widened. “Wait, you’re Kagami’s mentor? The one who taught him basketball?”

Alex winked with exaggerated smugness as she replied, “That’s right! I played with the best of them, but you’re crazy if you think I taught Taiga all my tricks.”

As Kise and Aomine both lit up with awe, Kagami fought the urge to face palm. Instead, he pointedly asked, “Where are Akashi and Kuroko?”

Here, Aomine and Kise exchanged glances and then offered Kagami one that told him he was being an idiot. Kagami huffed as if to point out that they had guests that were not tuned into the dynamics around here. Especially in the last few days.

Finally, Murasakibara spoke up. “Aka-chin and Kuro-chin are in their room. Haven’t seen Aka-chin since breakfast.”

…

Akashi handed Kuroko a styrofoam cup with the hotel logo on the side. As he inspected Kuroko’s throne of pillows, occasionally poking at the stacks for optimum position and fluffiness, Kuroko took a sip of the cheap coffee and sighed.

“Akashi-kun, I am fine. Please sit down,” he requested.

He adjusted one pillow to give Kuroko better support while sitting up in the bed and then finally sat on the edge of the mattress. “Are you ready for a new dose of medication?” he asked.

“No, Akashi-kun, I feel no pain. Relax. I’m fine. I just want to sit here together,” Kuroko chided.

Though Akashi obviously wanted to pace or ask more questions or generally fuss over him, he restrained himself much to Kuroko’s relief. They had been in this hotel for almost three days now, and most of their time passed in this way.

Midorima worked relentlessly on his cure with his newly acquired supplies, and when Takao needed him, he sped to his side. Akashi was the only one also allowed to see Takao, and his stomach turned with how his patient looked lately. While he made his contract with Midorima initially to save his mother, he had grown fond of the optimistic medical student during his stay in his hospital. It pained him to see such a boisterous person bedridden.

Besides that, Akashi could not help but think that Kuroko would soon reach that point if Midorima did not make his cure soon.

At the very least, he looked forward to when Momoi finally hacked her way into the Americans’ plans. She eagerly sent Midorima his own formula, but Akashi could tell that her pride had been hurt. She normally disrupted others’ strategies, not the other way around. She did not enjoy being the one caught off guard, and so she put twice the effort into discovering the Americans’ plans for the shipments of ABO.

Akashi was surprised to find that Aomine helped her as well, for apparently he knew more about the technological side of things than he originally let on. He used Kagami’s laptop to double-team the systems, and after Kise watched for a bit, he helped, too.

Murasakibara was helpful in a more practical way. He made sure they all ate and changed into clean clothes occasionally. Other than that, he discovered a new appreciation for American television.

Though Kagami tried not to contact his father and mentor often for fear of tipping off the Americans, he suspected that they would be here any time now. Akashi hoped some American insiders might offer them help, but he made backup plans for escape just in case.

He did his best to keep an eye on his companions even while he spent most of his time with Kuroko. 

As for Kuroko, he grew weaker every day. While his condition did not touch Takao’s, he now had trouble moving, and Akashi ordered him to stay in bed. He supposed he should have known better, for Kuroko proved to be an exception to Akashi’s way of life once again when he disobeyed rather frequently. Kuroko sneaked down to the lobby or vending machines for something to do more than to eat, and Akashi tracked him down each time.

Honestly though, Akashi missed that. The past day, Kuroko only laid in bed, and Akashi feared that meant he was getting worse.

“Don’t worry,” Akashi assured him. “I spoke to Shintarou this morning, and he suspects his cure will be ready today or tomorrow. You will be healthy once again.”

Kuroko nodded, but he did not seem nearly as celebratory as Akashi thought the situation warranted. “There are others who will still suffer. Others who are still sick and dying,” Kuroko revealed his inner thoughts.

Of course Akashi had not forgotten that. Just this morning, when he had gone with the others downstairs for breakfast, the news station on the television grimly reported that the situation in Japan only grew worse. The death toll rose, and the hospitals all over the country nearly ran out of room. The only bright side was that there was no report of the plague spreading… yet.

However, Kuroko was his priority for now. Once he knew Kuroko would live happily, then he would focus on spreading the cure to wherever else the Americans infected. However, he acknowledged this would not be an easy task.

“The Americans will not let us simply distribute a cure after all the work they put into this biowarfare,” Akashi predicted grimly. “But we will find a way. Shintarou will make more batches, and as soon as we know where to send them, we will.”

Kuroko’s expression softened as he met Akashi’s gaze. He took Akashi’s hand with his own and squeezed gently. “I know we will. I trust you.”

Akashi almost looked away. Such insurmountable faith in him set him on edge, for Kuroko did not give him loyalty out of fear or obligation, but out of genuine belief. He could not let him down, no matter what. Not anymore.

Akashi cupped Kuroko’s cheek and leaned forward to place a kiss on his forehead.

However, Kuroko was not satisfied with the fond gesture. Before Akashi managed to pull away, he wrapped his arms around Akashi’s neck and brought him closer. This time, their lips slotted against each other. 

Akashi held the other gently, carefully, but Kuroko seemed insistent that he not be treated like a doll. He deepened the kiss and carded his fingers through Akashi’s hair until Akashi retaliated with nearly the same intensity. One hand on the nape of his neck and the other on his hip, Akashi let his kisses trail from the corner of his lips to his neck and down to his collarbone.

Kuroko released a small moan, and Akashi smiled against his skin. He traveled further down, happily noting the flush rising from Kuroko’s chest, and he started to take a single nipple in his mouth when he also noticed how heavily Kuroko panted. While he wanted to feel pleased with how Kuroko’s eyes glazed over with pleasure, he could not help but notice the paleness of his skin and the decreasing weight of his body.

Akashi pulled back, and Kuroko watched him with pleading eyes. Akashi shook his head as he brushed back the sweaty locks of Kuroko’s hair and once again only kissed his forehead.

“You’re still sick, love. When you are well, we can continue,” he promised.

Kuroko looked as if he wanted to glare at him, but he could not quite muster the strength. He leaned back against the mountain of pillows until his breathing slowly evened out and his blush faded back into his sickly pallor.

“I suppose you are right,” he admitted.

“Soon, my love,” Akashi assured him, pressing one more kiss to his nose. Kuroko smiled softly.

Really, they were both thankful they managed to stop, for a moment later, a brief knock on the door was their only warning before Kise peeked his head inside. Even so, a mischievous grin spread across the blond’s face as he noted Kuroko’s and Akashi’s close proximity.

“Yes?” Akashi prompted, the slightest bit of annoyance entering his voice.

Kise cleared his throat hurriedly before he managed, “You two might want to come here. Lots of things are happening suddenly!”

“Such as?” Akashi urged.

Kise waved his hand in a gesture for them to hurry. “Come on!”

…

Kuroko followed Kise to the door next to them, and Akashi helped him along with one arm around his waist. Kuroko thought about protesting, but he decided the argument would last longer than the trip next door. Besides Akashi’s close proximity offered him comfort, and as they grew closer, Kuroko sensed he would need that. His skin crawled with anticipation.

He found his assumptions proven correct when they entered Midorima and Takao’s room to find two new faces and Aomine carrying his computer and Midorima with the closest thing to relief they had ever seen on his face. Murasakibara hovered over Takao, and now that Kuroko looked closer, he noticed the syringe in Midorima’s hand.

Ah.

“Hey, Kuroko, I want you to meet my dad and my mentor, Alex.”

Kagami’s voice pulled Kuroko’s attention to him, and he politely bowed before the man who stood just a couple of inches shorter than Kagami but still held a striking resemblance. “It’s nice to meet you, Kagami-san. I owe Kagami-kun my life.”

Kagami blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Come on, don’t make it sound so dramatic. We’re friends and… roommates, right?”

“He’s so cute!”

Before Kagami managed to induce damage control, two long arms wrapped Kuroko in his embrace, and his face suddenly found itself buried into the ample bosom of who Kuroko assumed was Kagami’s mentor. Kagami screeched and ordered Alex to release him, but Kuroko only heard muffled yelling.

When Kuroko finally managed to breathe easily and stumble back onto his own two feet, he met the smirk of a tall blond woman. Kagami buried his face into his hands, and Akashi smiled slightly with barely withheld rage.

“Please refrain from rough treatment while Tetsuya is ill,” Akashi requested in a way that clearly made the statement an order with consequences if not obeyed.

“I’m sorry, he’s just so tiny and precious!” she apologized, but her eyes still sparkled as she stared at him.

Out of respect for Kagami’s mentor, Kuroko tried to hold in his annoyance when he continued, “Thank you for coming, Kagami-san and Alex-san. We are grateful for your help.”

“Anything for friends of Taiga,” Kagami’s father assured them, and his smile was as warm as his son’s. “I have heard much about you, and I am thankful that my son found you. I know you’ve done him some good during these difficult times.”

Kuroko’s mouth opened with surprise at the sudden rush of feelings, and he wanted to tell Kagami-san that he owed Kagami for helping him during that dark time. However, he was almost thankful when Alex interrupted them.

“Don’t worry! I’ve got you covered for a ride back to Japan,” Alex told everyone, giving a thumbs up as well. “And anywhere else if you fancy sight-seeing.”

“What is this mode of transportation?” Akashi inquired.

Before Alex managed an answer, Kise popped up among them. His eyes now sparkled with their normal enthusiasm instead of the grim solemnity that he had worn for the past few days. “Guys, we have history in the making here! We can do the formalities later,” he interrupted.

“History?” Kuroko questioned though he already knew what Kise would say next.

“Midorimacchi did it!”

“Yo, Kise, stop talking about it and let’s get to it,” Aomine clipped.

Kise nodded vigorously as all eyes turned to Midorima. The doctor adjusted his glasses and blushed under all the attention, but he could not quite hide his excitement. After all, nearly a year of work went into this moment. And as Takao breathed heavily, his eyes closed as he remained still among the pillows, Midorima finally felt himself unwinding from months of tension. He would save him.

He finished his cure less than an hour ago, and even if he could not perform a test, he had no doubts after the extensive research he put into the tiny syringe of fluid.

Takao would live.

Everyone held their breath behind barely withheld smiles as Midorima approached Takao’s bed, and Murasakibara stretched his arm out for Midorima’s access. As the needle slid into the joint of Takao’s arm, Kuroko glanced at Akashi who stared back at him.

Akashi’s tension from earlier melted away into a small smile, and he discreetly took Kuroko’s hand in his own. “You will receive the cure next, love,” he murmured into Kuroko’s ear, and Kuroko nodded.

He felt the weakness within himself. Though he managed a strong front, Akashi had to help him here, and he grew frailer every day. Relief washed over him to know that Takao would soon breathe easily, pulled back from the edge of death, but selfishly, he felt relief for himself, too. 

If only the rest of the world could experience this blessing as well.

When Midorima finished giving Takao the full dosage, no immediate transformation took place, but no one expected Takao to suddenly shoot up from bed and begin chattering again. Rather, he breathed a little easier in his sleep, and that was enough for everyone for now.

“As the antidote spreads through his bloodstream, his blood cells will begin to renature. Once every cell has returned to its original state, he will be completely cured,” Midorima informed them all. Then his eyes settled on Akashi. “I will begin on Kuroko’s dose now.”

“Please rest first,” Kuroko inserted. “I will be fine for a few more days, and you have not slept. We will move to the other room, so you can nap.”

Kuroko could tell that Akashi and Kagami in particular wanted to argue, but a single glare silenced them. The bags under Midorima’s eyes were compelling argument points as well.

“Besides,” Alex added, “we can discuss your ride home in the meantime.”

Midorima finally consented, and everyone filed into the hotel room shared by Aomine, Kise, Murasakibara, and Kagami. While there was another bed unoccupied by Takao, no one had any illusions about just where Midorima would be catching up on his sleep, and the two of them deserved their privacy.

Once in the room next door, Akashi set up Kuroko a new throne of pillows on one of the beds, and everyone else found seats on chairs, dressers, or the edges of mattresses. Kuroko tried to hide his sigh of relief as he let his muscles relax, but Akashi noticed and lifted his eyebrows into a subtle question. Kuroko shook his head, but Akashi still sat next to him.

Once Alex noticed that everyone settled, she clapped her hands and smiled brightly. “All right, today has already been a thrill, but now it’s just going to continue. Ever since Taiga called me, I’ve been contacting some of my old friends in the WNBA.”

Aomine and Kise both stared at each other in excitement, and Kagami looked torn between a sigh and a smirk.

“My old team is about to enter an international circuit, and they’ll be leaving for Europe in a few days. I haven’t told them the full situation, but I pulled a few strings, and you’ll be meeting them in LA, discreetly of course, to join them on their bus. As far as anyone knows, you’ll be personal trainers, dietitians, and managers, but you will be joining them on the plane to Europe. After that you’re free to go wherever. The FBI will have no idea you even left the country until it’s too late,” Alex finished proudly.

“I’m going to meet WNBA players,” Aomine cheered, an arm in the air.

“Don’t go harassing the players, Aominecchi,” Kise scolded, but he looked excited as well.

Murasakibara asked Kagami what being a dietician meant, and his eyes lit up when Kagami explained with irritation. Alex laughed heartily and wrapped an arm around Kagami who barely noticed, so used to the casual affection.

Kagami’s father teasingly warned Kise and Aomine to stay away from the female athletes, and they stared at him with pure awe when they realized that Kagami’s father was quite the basketball pro himself.

Kuroko watched with amusement in his eyes, and when he felt Akashi take his hand, he offered a small smile.

“Everything is going to be okay,” Kuroko murmured, watching the people he had come to cherish in his heart rejoice. They took everything so well as they fled the country and found themselves hunted by the Americans, but Kuroko knew the stress wore on them, and they missed their home country.

Akashi nodded, and though he, too, smiled, Kuroko recognized the pressure he still felt in his eyes.

“You cannot take on the whole world,” Kuroko quietly scolded him.

“I do not want to hear that from you,” Akashi returned good-naturedly.

Kuroko squeezed his hand. “We still have some work to do before we can fully relax,” he admitted.

“Discovering the Americans intentions for one, though I imagine Satsuki is nearing that goal. Stopping them and distributing the cure to Japan and every other country that requires it is only the second on the list,” Akashi acknowledged.

“Your humor is rather dark,” Kuroko deadpanned.

Akashi only squeezed his hand in return, but then Kuroko suddenly lifted just enough to place a small kiss on the corner of Akashi’s lips.

“Actually,” he whispered. “I have an idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas Eve!! I hope you are all enjoying the holidays!


	15. A Last Note Between Goodbye and Happily Ever After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end.

A thrumming energy bled into the city of London as the usual crowds sped into streams of people. Chatter bubbled up from the streets, and the topic of the conversation was the same all around. Even those outside the usual sports circles held their breath and donned newly bought hoodies and caps for the event only hours away.

The stadium quickly filled with those who purchased early tickets, but vendors outside stayed busy as they exchanged extra seats for unreasonably high amounts of money. However, biting complaints aside, people still paid and joined the river flowing inside.

“How many threes do you think he’ll make this time?”

“Let’s take a shot every time there’s a dunk.”

“You’ll be drunk before the second half!”

“I hope it’s a close game. I want to see his ankle break in person!”

More and more assaulted the gates, but no one noticed when one figure in particular slipped away from the current. The silhouette did not draw gazes as it blended among the people, fading from the stadium to a bus stop and then reappearing again next to a stand that sold newspapers and magazines.

The figure took a moment to glance at the headlines before disappearing among the streets for the umpteenth time.

**ABO Strikes Stratford: Is London Next?**

**Generation of Miracles Resurrects London’s Basketball Arena**

As the figure traveled farther away from the surplus of people, the flying rumors and gossip died down, but the presence in the city still made itself known. A billboard that loomed over a busy intersection displayed seven very familiar faces in red and white jerseys.

At last the shadow hesitated when a particular building came into sight, and he disappeared into a parking garage, unbeknownst to security cameras and other people alike.

…

**Rakuzan Hospital Under New Management**

On March 17, Akashi Seijuro inherits ownership of Rakuzan Hospital from his father, Akashi Masaomi. The Tokyo hospital houses the majority of ABO patients in the area, and though the hospital recently skyrocketed among the local corporations, Akashi Seijuro promises that the finances will fund new research in a cure for the disease that has put Japan under quarantine.

**Rakuzan Hospital Finds ABO Cure**

On March 28, Akashi Seijuro reports that his lead research scientist, Midorima Shintarou, found a successful antidote that cures a victim of ABO in a record eleven days. All of the patients in the Tokyo hospital received the antidote and now discharge in complete health. Akashi Seijuro is currently distributing the cure and formula to other hospitals all over Japan. Leading healthcare experts predict the quarantine over Japan will lift within the month.

…

“Oi, I forgot my deodorant. Throw me yours.”

“No way! This brand costs more than all your possessions combined.”

“Here, you can use mine. You should know better than to ask pretty boy if you can borrow his cosmetics.”

“Hey!”

Kagami tossed his deodorant across the locker room, and Aomine caught it without turning from his changing station. When Kise realized no one sympathized with his woes, he turned back to his own station, adjusting his jersey in his shorts and fluffing up his hair in the hand mirror he kept in his locker. Aomine slid the deodorant up both armpits before throwing the tube back to Kagami.

“Eh, Mine-chin, this is the third time you’ve forgotten your deodorant,” Murasakibara drawled from his place on the bench. Already dressed, he pilfered through a chip bag as everyone else went through their usual pre-game routine.

“Satsuki normally keeps it for me, but she’s busy today… again,” Aomine grunted. “She’s the one who sets all these games up. You’d think she’d come to one every once in a while.”

“Momoi has far more opportunities than simply acting as a basketball manager,” Midorima chided. He was already dressed as well, and he checked to make sure all their water bottles were full.

Takao waited beside the water fountain for Midorima to hand him any bottles that needed topped off, and he cackled at Midorima’s statement. “You have your own other life, too, Shin-chan! You’re like a superhero with a secret identity.”

“Except you don’t need a mask,” Kise added, his mood improving at the conversation. “No one would recognize you as the scientist who saved the world!”

Midorima tried to hide his blush, but his fellow teammates knew him well enough to see through his sudden need to adjust his glasses once again. As Kise said, no matter how many fans they gained through these games, no one knew him as more than number six on the team. He never agreed to interviews after his success against ABO, so unlike the others, his two lives remained separate.

“That’s rich coming from the model, Kise Ryota, who decided to broaden his horizons with a little basketball on the side,” Aomine joked though Kise’s former popularity was what helped their team gain the public eye in the first place.

“Akashicchi isn’t hiding his identity either,” Kise pointed out.

“Akashi didn’t really have a choice,” Kagami inserted, stretching down to touch his toes. 

“I didn’t either,” Kise pouted. He shut his locker, partly for emphasis and partly because he was finally ready, the last one on the team.

Murasakibara shifted into a slightly more alert position and glanced around the locker room at everyone, jerseys and basketball shoes all in place. “Who are we playing again?” he drawled.

“Murasakibara,” Midorima scolded.

“What? We’ve played a lot of people in the past few months,” Murasakibara reminded him.

“Yeah, well, the Americans have been spreading ABO like fucking crazy,” Aomine added.

Takao put the last full water bottle in the carrier and practically bounced in place. “I sure don’t mind all the games. I’m just thrilled my recovery is over, so I can play.”

“It was hard only having six players,” Kagami acknowledged. He still had a soft spot for Takao as he was the one who first made Kuroko feel comfortable all that time ago.

“Some London team,” Aomine finally answered Murasakibara with a shrug. “I hope it’s like that game in Zambia against the Golden State Warriors. Stephen Curry is a genius!”

Kagami and Kise grinned at the memories. Though they still won, the Golden State Warriors certainly gave them the most competition.

“They were kind to agree to play us in Zambia,” Midorima inserted.

Takao snorted. “Yeah, to boost the Zambians’ spirits during their crisis against ABO.”

“That may have been the official reason, but I think people are catching on to what we’re doing,” Kagami admitted.

“Even if they are, our job is almost done anyway,” Aomine pointed out.

“Thanks to our Kurokocchi and Momoicchi,” Kise enthused, offering one of his model smiles that sparkled. The others offered general sounds of agreement.

Before more bickering could erupt among them, the door to the locker room opened, and Akashi emerged. He, too, wore the matching jersey of red and white, and he held a basketball under his arm. Even in the sports attire, he still looked every bit the owner of Rakuzan Hospital, unfazed even by the many interviews from which he had just returned.

“The game is about to begin,” he informed them. “We can warm up on the court now.”

Akashi left, and the others filed after him.

…

**ABO Spreads to Germany**

On February 2, a hospital in Berlin reports its first case of ABO outside of Japan’s borders. Medical experts offer no explanation for how the blood disease spread from the quarantined country, but Germany threatens panic at this threat. Hospitals and doctors from around the country are banding together to prevent further cases.

**Mystery Team Beats Germany’s Golden Boys**

The German basketball team faces its first defeat of the season, on February 7, from a team previously unknown to the world. Sports fans still scratch their heads at how the match-up came to be, but the WNBA-sponsored game ended with Germany in tears while the rest of the world praised the ragtag group of players with an exceptional array of talents and backgrounds. One of the players, remarkably, is Kise Ryota, a model who just returned from a brief tour in America.

**A Miracle?**

As of February 13, Berlin boasts a clear bill of health for its seven patients with ABO, and though the hospital can offer no explanation save for constant vigilance, Germany breathes a sigh of relief to know no quarantine will befall their country. Meanwhile, Japan still loses an average of three people a week to the disease, but German scientists offer both financial support and a research alliance in sympathy.

…

The slight figure slipped among the cars and took the parking garage elevator to the underground floor where the employees usually parked. The flickering lights suited a horror movie rather than anything affiliated with a city hospital, but for just a moment, the glimmer caught a glimpse of light blue hair, pale skin, and equally blue eyes.

Kuroko found a back entrance inside the hospital meant for maintenance, and despite the alarm systems and rigid procedures, he slipped into the building without a trace. He had done this enough now that breaking and entering medical hospices came second nature to him. The best paths, the proper times: his eyes saw these things highlighted before him.

Once inside, the rest was easy. He wore jeans and a collared shirt, so he seemed nothing more than a visiting family member or friend. He found a user-friendly map where he identified the research floor, unsurprisingly, on the top.

Smaller hospitals often did not bother with security for their research department, but London’s main source of medical care naturally did. Kuroko, however, barely blinked at this development.

He waited. His eyes scanned the comings and goings of doctors, nurses, hospital beds, and visitors, and he occasionally adjusted the strap of the bag across his shoulders. At last, a doctor in a lab coat approached the elevator, and Kuroko recognized him as the person he needed.

Bags under his eyes, a slight twitch to his left hand, an arm full of data sheets. Clearly a research doctor, and when he entered the elevator, Kuroko followed after him. The scientist might have noticed Kuroko at first and expected him to leave on a lower floor, but Kuroko’s low presence soon persuaded his mind to wander to other things.

When the doctor swiped his identification card and departed on the research floor, Kuroko shadowed him. He broke away for a different hall after a few steps, but the doctor and the rest of the staff did not notice.

Kuroko found an empty lab, and pleased to find the door unlocked, he entered and set his bag on the floor. He unpacked a satchel with ten safely-secured vials inside and placed them on a table. A note with detailed instructions on how to make the contents of the vials quickly followed along with the request to share this information with all hospitals in the area.

Satisfied with his work, Kuroko took his empty satchel and left the lab.

Returning to the elevator took more time than finding a private space to leave his gift, as he needed to stop and hide a few times as researchers passed and occasionally stopped at stations for equipment or brief conversations with coworkers. However, Kuroko was glad for the delay when he heard an excited shriek as he finally reached the elevator.

“The phantom visited us! God bless him, we have the cure! ABO doesn’t stand a chance against us now. Hollee, come look at this!”

“I prayed for this, and now it’s happened!”

The elevator door closed but not before the smallest smile graced Kuroko’s lips.

…

**Generation of Miracles?**

The underdog team that first took Germany by storm is now seven faces known all over the world. As of April 19, the team has played over forty games in thirty-eight different countries, winning every one. Not only that, but the small team sports iconic faces such as Akashi Seijuro, owner of Rakuzan Hospital, and Kise Ryota, famous model and idol.

However, the truly miraculous aspect of this team is their connection with dreaded blood disease, ABO. The team only plays in countries where cases of ABO have been reported, but the miracle is that mere days after the big game that draws millions to the basketball stadium, the cure finds its way to the local hospitals.

Online threads suspect a connection, but no member of the team or their manager, Momoi Satsuki, have offered a comment.

**Americans Accused of Biowarfare**

On April 23, the United Nations issued an official inquiry of the American involvement in the sudden spread of ABO to other countries. While Japan rejoices in the lift of their quarantine, cases of ABO pop up in seemingly unconnected areas. Rakuzan Hospital has attempted to spread samples of their cure to the affected countries, but interferences disrupt the shipments, and any traces of the formula are removed from the internet moments after posting.

At last, the UN traced the hacking interference to an American pharmaceutical company with the help of an anonymous hacker who offered his or her skills. Further investigations shall occur.

…

Momoi Satsuki downloaded the last newspaper article to her flash drive and removed the stick from her computer. While she never attached her name to the endeavors she influenced, she did document everything and store it within carefully-labeled flash drives in case she ever needed insurance in the future.

The rainbow-colored flash drive in her hand - all her memory sticks sported bright colors or sparkles and gems - definitely held the highlight of her work though. She had kept diary entries of the events from the moment Akashi began to inspect his father’s file systems.

She never expected to include Kuroko and then Kagami in her documentation, and she certainly never predicted the detour to Seattle or the greater conspiracy surrounding the Americans, but she now felt infinitely grateful she never ceased in her journaling.

The newspaper articles certainly offered interesting decor to her drive, but she also added her own commentary to fill in where the reporters could not guess the truth. She also highlighted “anonymous hacker” in the last article with bright pink as she did for any form of media that mentioned her works without her name. She liked her anonymity, but she also liked to keep track of what she had done.

She quite enjoyed bringing the Americans to justice though. Himuro Tatsuya, in particular, would not escape the law.

The only person she left alone was Akashi Masaomi. She spoke with Akashi several times on the matter, and they agreed to leave him in his mansion where he would not harm anyone ever again. They could not convict him without bringing out the entire story, and they did not want to throw their companions, particularly Kuroko, in the spotlight.

So they stripped Masaomi of his power and kept him where he could influence nothing and no one. According to Akashi, he was a miserable enough person that this was punishment enough.

Momoi placed the flash drive among her others and then glanced at her calendar. If she figured the time zones correctly, and she knew she did, Aomine and the rest would be playing right now. Which meant Kuroko likely just delivered his last samples of ABO to a hospital in London.

Now that the United Nations suspected the Americans, Momoi doubted Kuroko would have to sneak the cure to anyone else. Soon the formula would be known everywhere, and the ‘Generation of Miracles,’ as the media dubbed the basketball team, could retire.

Momoi knew they all missed home, and she looked forward to Aomine in particular returning to Japan for good. She remembered how she argued their crazy idea to host a basketball game in Germany, with the help of Alex’s friends in the WNBA. The game was supposed to provide a distraction, so Kuroko could find a place to dump Midorima’s samples of the cure and instructions on how to make more.

However, crazily enough, this widespread version of misdirection worked, and their game full of talent and epic dunks and shots gained enough attention that the trick worked again. And again.

Naturally, the media started to catch on as the latest articles indicated, but now that they would return to the quiet of Japan, Momoi wondered if anyone would ever investigate the whole situation further.

If they did, Momoi had the whole story on her flash drive. The legend of the Generation of Miracles.

…

Kuroko slipped into the hotel as easily as the hospital, and even when he did not need to sneak into the elevator and onto the top floor, still no one noticed his presence. He exited the lift and made his way down to the end of the hall.

Like another hotel seemingly a lifetime ago, though actually only a few months, they bought several rooms in a row. Midorima and Takao still shared theirs, but Aomine, Kise, Murasakibara, and Kagami all occupied their own. 

As for the room at the very end, Kuroko knocked once, and Akashi opened the door with a small smile.

“I am back, Akashi-kun.”

“Welcome home.”

Akashi stepped back to let him into the room, and Kuroko slipped out of his shoes. Akashi had changed from his basketball uniform to normal slacks and a sweater, his hair still damp from a shower. Kuroko made to feel the dripping locks when Akashi’s lips captured his instead. Kuroko readily enough shifted his actions and embraced Akashi into his arms.

After Akashi pulled back to kiss his nose, he asked, “How did your act of heroism go?”

“Successful. How was the game?”

“Naturally, we won. Taiga made the most dunks, so Daiki is in a bit of sulk,” Akashi replied.

“He will be fine once they can play another game of street ball,” Kuroko predicted. “The others?”

“Atsushi preferred defense, but Ryota made up for him by copying Daiki and Taiga alternatively. Kazunari acted as point when I was on the bench. He and Shintarou perfected their shot they’ve been practicing.”

Kuroko smiled, and Akashi recognized how much he wanted to play. When they first formed their little team, they did not allow Takao to play at first due to his fragile health. However, he recovered quickly and annoyed Midorima until he received permission.

Though Kuroko, too, earned a clean bill of health after his portion of the cure, Akashi was not as willing to suddenly let him play a rigorous game of basketball. Sneaking around cities was one thing, but Akashi did not want Kuroko too exposed.

At least Kuroko still played the street games with everyone whenever they met for some cherished time of relaxation.

“I just spoke with Satsuki. She believes the formula will be free to those all over the world soon, and besides that, the Americans will soon cease spreading ABO once the United Nations has further evidence against them. This was likely your last act as the phantom sixth man, as it were,” Akashi told him.

Kuroko wrinkled his nose though he secretly liked the nickname that Aomine first called him. Though he was not officially on the team, no one denied that he, too, was a part of the Generation of Miracles that the newspapers idolized.

“We can go home,” Kuroko murmured, thinking of his apartment in Japan. The landlord likely gave up on Kagami and him, so he might need to search for a new one. “I believe Kagami-kun plans to live with his father for a while in Los Angeles.”

Akashi seemed to guess the rest of his train of thought. They had been living in hotels for the past four months, funded at first by what little was left from the concert money, but Akashi and Midorima were the only ones who had returned to Japan at all so far. He gave his father the ultimatum of giving up the rights to Rakuzan or facing jail time, and his father expectedly chose a transfer of power.

He put the money his father made from ABO into the research department as he promised, and then he waited enough time for all the current patients to be cured before he revealed Midorima’s development. There was no need to raise unnecessary questions.

Midorima had taken his time in Rakuzan to brew several samples of his cure while also teaching the rest of the doctors how to do so once he left. Then he returned to whatever hotel Takao and the others had been staying in at the time, and he vowed to stay by their side until they could all return to Japan with the rest of the world safe.

When Midorima returned to the others, Akashi spread the formula to the rest of Japan while he used some of his budget to fund more of the basketball games that Momoi scheduled. He always flew to whichever country to play, but he returned to Japan often enough to monitor his hospital as well as the progress of the cure.

The schedule meant he did not often have alone time with Kuroko, much to the disappointment of both of them, but that would change soon.

“My apartment is large. I have a spare bedroom,” Akashi told him.

“I do not want to impose.”

“Tetsuya.”

Akashi made sure to meet those pale blue eyes before continuing, “Tetsuya, you are the love of my life. I would have asked you to come live with me even without these circumstances.”

Kuroko smiled so sweetly that Akashi couldn’t help but tilt down and kiss him. The feeling of hands against hips and slipping beneath shirts is natural to them at this point, and Kuroko eagerly responds to kiss up his jaw, and Akashi marks his neck and collarbone.

Akashi slowly guides them to the hotel bed. They always ordered a queen rather than two full-sized ones, just as Midorima and Takao did. Neither couple hid their actions, but none of the others in their party ever acted surprised. Kise occasionally made suggestive comments, but a glare from Midorima or a jab from Kuroko normally quieted him.

Kuroko fell to the mattress, pulling Akashi with him, and there was no space between them, but neither had ever felt so at home. 

When the heat between them reached a lustful haze, Akashi forced himself to pull back, his breath heavier than normal. “You must be tired,” he murmured.

Kuroko narrowed his eyes and slotted his mouth against Akashi’s again. “Akashi-kun, it has been months. I am well, and you know it. You don’t have to treat me like glass anymore,” he asserted between pointed kisses from his mouth to his neck.

“Tetsuya-”

“ _Seijuro._ Please. I’m fine, and you’re not going to lose me. I want this with you… if you do,” Kuroko amended.

“Of course I want this,” Akashi assured him, gently running his fingers through Kuroko’s soft hair. “More than I ever thought possible. I suppose I am…”

“Scared?” Kuroko suggested, a small smile teasing his lips. “Surely, after all this time, you can admit this to me. We went through quite a lot together.”

Akashi pressed a kiss to Kuroko’s forehead to hide his matching smile. “I suppose you are right,” he agreed. Then, growing serious, he continued, “Are you certain? I never want you to feel pressured, and if you decide you do not want this, or if you are feeling unwell, we will stop.”

Kuroko let him finish as he guessed Akashi would only feel relaxed if he received full consent. “Thank you, Seijuro. I know how much you care. I love you.”

Akashi hesitated, and his voice only sounded the slightest bit choked, when he replied, “And I, you, my love.”

“I have the things we need in my bag,” Kuroko hinted.

Akashi raised an eyebrow. “You planned this?”

Kuroko shrugged, and his face would have given away nothing to the average person, but Akashi learned long ago to pick up on his subtle emotions, especially that particular brand of mischief. He, indeed, found a condom and lube in the same pocket where Kuroko kept his toiletries, and when he returned to the bed, Kuroko had already lost his outer clothing.

“You do not waste time,” Akashi observed.

“You have made us both wait long enough,” Kuroko criticized, gesturing for Akashi to join him on the bed.

Akashi did so, straddling Kuroko’s hips and leaning forward to kiss him deeply while letting his hand travel downward where he held Kuroko and rubbed gently. Kuroko gasped in his mouth, and Akashi felt his heart flutter and his stomach turn.

“Excuse me for caring about you,” Akashi finally answered, but he knew the thread of the conversation was lost.

Kuroko kissed Akashi with a renewed fever, and despite the reservation he employed during every other aspect of his life, he let his barriers fall now. Every emotion, reaction, desire played across his face and in every blush and twitch of his fingers.

“Seijuro.”

Akashi never valued someone more. Never loved someone in this way.

Endless moments later, Akashi held Kuroko in his arms, and though exhaustion tugged at his mind, he alternated between carding his fingers through his pale blue hair and kissing the top of his head. Kuroko wrapped his arms around Akashi’s waist in sleep, and it should have been uncomfortable, but Akashi had never felt so at peace in his life.

Perhaps this was why Akashi fought sleep. He wanted to hold onto this moment a little longer.

So much had gone wrong in his life. Discovering his father’s madness, losing his mother, escaping the Americans, struggling to find a way to correct every wrong along the way. With Kuroko’s help they at least managed to eradicate ABO, a mistake that never should have been made in the first place.

He nearly lost Kuroko to it. Kuroko who had somehow become so important, a shining beacon, in his life. Akashi had always been so careful in his relationships, but something about his quiet resilience and relentless need to help others enraptured him.

He wanted to start a new life with the person in his arms, and he hoped Kuroko wanted to do the same with him. They had a chance now. A real chance.

Kuroko stirred in his arms and blinked up at Akashi with glossy eyes. “Akashi-kun?”

“You can go back to sleep, love,” Akashi answered fondly.

Rather than acquiesce his request, Kuroko wriggled until he could press a kiss to Akashi’s lips. “Will you continue to work at the hospital when we return to Japan?” he asked quietly.

Akashi nodded the best he could in their enwrapped position. “It is my responsibility, and it is a noble enough purpose when not being used for the wrong reasons.”

When Kuroko did not immediately respond, Akashi gently rubbed circles over the smooth skin of his back. “What’s on your mind?”

“What will I do when we return to Japan? Besides move into your apartment,” Kuroko clarified though the question did not seem to be for Akashi himself. Rather, he mused quietly as if he no longer knew how to identify himself without the need to save himself or save others or the crushing guilt of his family’s death.

Akashi smiled and kissed his nose. “I suppose that is something you will discover for yourself.”

“Kagami-kun and I worked so many odd jobs. Nothing I can use for a career,” he admitted.

“You do not have to immediately find work. You are welcome to rest in the apartment, do things you enjoy. The hospital will provide a stable income if you are worried. However,” Akashi emphasized, continuing his soothing movements. “I understand that you likely do not want to stay home for the rest of your life. I will support you in whatever you choose, but don’t feel that you need to rush.”

“I am lucky to have you,” Kuroko murmured, kissing him again. He never grew tired of the touches, the gestures of affection.

“Now that is where you are wrong, my love,” Akashi said. “I am lucky to have you.”

Nothing could replace what either of them had lost, but the warmth shared between them, the love that swelled inside them, gave them something they never hoped to have again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say thank you to everyone who read this story. I had a lot of fun writing it, and I really appreciate all the kudos and comments. You are all the best ^_^
> 
> Would you believe the first draft of this story was a 6,000 word original manuscript that I submitted to a magazine? They rejected it, and I found the old file on a flash drive last summer and decided to resurrect the plot for Akakuro purposes :)
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the ending and have a really good day :)


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